Trophy Tour of the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar - Rourkela moved to New Delhi today, where Shri Anurag Singh Thakur, Union Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports and Information & Broadcasting unveiled the trophy to the hockey fans.
The event was also graced by 1975 World Cup winners Shri Ajit Pal Singh, Shri Ashok Dhyanchand, Brig HJS Chimni, and former Olympians Shri Harbinder Singh, Padma Shri Zafar Iqbal, and Shri Vinit Kumar (Vice president, Delhi Hockey) among other dignitaries.
On this occasion Shri Anurag Singh Thakur said, “Taking the World Cup Trophy to the different cities of India is a good way to promote the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar - Rourkela. The trophy has been to many different parts of the country like Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Punjab, and now in New Delhi in presence of hockey legends and fans which is great to raise awareness about the tournament.”
Shri Thakur added, “World Cup is the biggest competition in the game after the Olympics and it's great that we are taking the necessary steps to promote the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar - Rourkela. The fans in the host cities are enough to fill the stadium but this tour will also encourage fans in other states to watch the tournament on TV.”
Shri Ashok Dhyanchand appreciated Hockey India for organizing the Trophy Tour of the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar - Rourkela and stated that it is a necessary step to promote the tournament.“Today, we have all assembled here under the statute of my father Major Dhyanchand for the Trophy Tour of the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar - Rourkela.
This is a special place in Indian hockey and I am happy that today we have got the opportunity to see the trophy of the upcoming World Cup. This Trophy Tour is a great way to promote the tournament which is important in hockey and I am sure that we as a host nation will give our best in the tournament,” stated Shri Ashok Dhyanchand.
About the Trophy Tour:
In the lead up to the prestigious FIH Odisha Hockey Men's World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar - Rourkela which begins on 13th January 2023, the coveted trophy will travel across 13 states and one Union Territory before returning to Odisha on 25 December, thus giving the fans and public a chance to engage with the prestigious trophy before the winning team lifts it on 29th January 2023.
The nationwide Trophy Tour was launched in Bhubaneswar on 5th December by the Chief Minister of Odisha Shri Naveen Patnaik. Following this the trophy will journey across West Bengal, Manipur, Assam, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, New Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Chhattisgarh.