PURI: Sixty kilometres away from the state capital, sculptor Maheswar Maharana is giving shape to life-like fibre glass hockey sticks at his Mukunda Nagar work yard. To be installed at important junctions during the FIH Hockey World Cup 2023, the insignias will be used across the host cities of Bhubaneswar and Rourkela.
Maharana along with his 22 assistants has been on the job ever since the trophy tour reached Puri. “I am inspired. I was in awe of the World Cup trophy when it was here. We resolved to contribute 16 hockey stick insignias for the event on behalf of Puri people for the WC being hosted by Odisha from January 13,” said Maharana.
Once complete, the sticks will be sent to Bhubaneswar and Rourkela. The sticks are 22 feet long and are under construction at the sculptor’s yard on the outskirts of Puri along the Puri-Bhubaneswar national highway. “The sticks are made of fibre glass material which will lend a realistic look even from a distance,” Maharana added.