K ARUMUGAM

Strongly objecting to the reported change in the colour of the Indian hockey team’s jersey from its iconic blue to saffron, former Odisha Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition Naveen Patnaik has termed the move an assault on the country’s sporting heritage and accused the BJP government in Odisha of politicising the national game.

Patnaik, widely credited with reviving Odisha’s association with Indian hockey through sustained government backing, made the remarks in a strongly-worded statement. Under his leadership, Odisha emerged as the first state government to sponsor the Indian men’s and women’s hockey teams at a time when the sport was struggling to attract corporate support. The state continues to be the official sponsor of the national hockey teams until 2036.

Many in the hockey fraternity regard Patnaik as one of the key architects of Indian hockey’s resurgence over the past decade. His government’s sustained investment in the sport, coupled with the development of world-class infrastructure and the hosting of major international events, is widely seen as having helped transform India’s fortunes on the global stage. Against this backdrop, Patnaik’s latest statement is also being viewed as significant because it appears to hint at what he believes prompted the reported change in the national team’s jersey colour.

“I am deeply anguished to know that the legendary colour of the Indian hockey team’s jersey has been changed to saffron,” Patnaik said.

Describing the blue jersey as much more than a colour, he said it represents the emotions, memories and aspirations of millions of Indians who have supported the national team through triumphs and setbacks alike.

“The iconic shade of blue of the Indian hockey team is not just a colour. It is an emotion associated with the nation’s sporting heritage,” Patnaik said. “For decades, this colour united us in hope, in victory, in defeat and in the pursuit of sporting excellence.”

He recalled that generations of Indian hockey fans had celebrated victories and endured defeats while rallying behind the men and women in blue. According to him, the blue jersey has become inseparable from India’s identity in international hockey, particularly as the national teams have won Olympic medals wearing the blue colours while the national anthem echoed across global sporting arenas.

Patnaik also underlined the symbolic importance of the colour, pointing out that blue is derived from the Ashoka Chakra in the Indian national flag.

“It is a symbol of our national pride and identity. The colour blue belongs to every Indian,” he said.

Highlighting Odisha’s contribution to Indian hockey, Patnaik noted that the state stepped forward to support the national teams when sponsorship opportunities were scarce.

“When the national hockey teams were struggling for sponsors, Odisha created history by being the first and only state to support our national teams and our beloved game,” he said. “Every Odia across the globe was proud of the state’s gift to national hockey.”

He also linked Odisha’s support to the revival of Indian hockey, noting that the Indian men’s team ended a 41-year wait for an Olympic medal during the period when Odisha became closely associated with the sport.

Criticising the reported jersey change, Patnaik alleged that it was politically motivated.

“Just because the government changed in Odisha, it should not change our national team colours. This is petty politics of the worst kind,” he said.

Drawing comparisons with other iconic sporting nations, he said India’s blue jersey holds the same emotional significance as Argentina’s famous blue-and-white stripes and Brazil’s celebrated yellow football jersey.

“Our blue jersey is to us what the iconic stripes are to Argentina and the yellow jersey is to Brazil. It is etched in our collective memory,” he said, adding that any attempt to alter it amounted to “a crass attempt to erase our priceless sporting legacy.”

Patnaik maintained that national sporting symbols should unite the country rather than become subjects of political contest.

He further alleged that the decision had been taken under pressure from the BJP government in Odisha. While acknowledging that authorities may deny the allegation, he claimed that the present state government had, over the past two years, shown an “obsession” with changing the colours of public buildings, buses and bridges.

“But now the same government has changed the colours of our national team,” he alleged.

Patnaik strongly condemned what he described as an attempt by the BJP government in Odisha to politicise hockey, saying the move had hurt the sentiments of lakhs of sports lovers across the country and diminished the pride with which Odisha has supported Indian hockey. His remarks are expected to fuel further debate over the reported jersey colour change and the role of politics in national sporting symbols.