BHUBANESWAR: The FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup-2023 fever seems to have taken the higher educational institutions of the state in its grip too.
Apart from plans to install large LCD screens on campuses for students and locals to watch the matches - particularly ones played by India - colleges and universities in Rourkela, Bhubaneswar and Cuttack will hold walkathons by students. Institutions across the state will also create sand art on campuses to create awareness of hockey and the world cup.
As per a directive issued by the Higher Education department, institutions are required to install at least one large LCD screen on their campuses and bring in students to watch the matches. Colleges in Rourkela and Twin City will host the walkathons either prior to or on the opening day of the world cup.
All the campuses will put up posters, signages like ‘I love Hockey World Cup’ and logos of the world cup with photographs of popular Odia hockey players, said higher education minister Rohit Pujari. This apart, sand art relating to the theme of the world cup and the sport will be created by students with the help of local artists at one or two popular areas within a campus. All the colleges will display the world cup logo at the main entrances of their campuses.
The Regional Directorates of Education (RDEs) have been asked to reach out to other higher educational institutions not coming under the state government like KIIT, OUAT, SUM, ITER, VIMSAR, VSSUT, NIT-Rourkela, IIT, NISER and IIIT to carry out similar activities ahead of the World Cup.