Odisha welcomes HIL despite it missing out on team

Hockey is normally talked about in the rest of the country only when there is a big tournament with the exception of Odhisa. Simply because it is always talked about sport in the State, a veritable provenance of contemporary hockey players.

So, there is no surprise the forthcoming Hockey India League is talk of the Bhubneswar town, capital of Odisha, not just among hockey fraternity, not just among sporting circles but also with hockey enthusiasts.

Echoes former Olympian Lajrus Barla (in the pic). “Premier Hockey League was a great success in the early 2000s. Our State team, Orissa Steelers, won them on couple of times. However, HIL is a different proposition in terms of franchise and scale”.

“With this kind novelty I think HIL will prove to be a great success, as well as turn out to be a source of motivation for players and coaches.”

“Hockey deserves to get proper attention. I hope HIL will be able to restore the glory of the national game,” he adds.

Shradhanjali Samantaray, former captain of Women’s Football team feels that Hockey India League will boost up a player’s performance. “HIL is a platform where young Indian players will get an opportunity to play with experienced players of international repute. Also, the foreign coaches will introduce them to new techniques of the game. This will give a clear picture of where we stand in the international arena. I am really happy that Hockey India has introduced such a format.”

Samantaray who has been a role model to many, expects the same happy turn around in other sports as well.

“Though club football is popular in our country, yet I feel that football should also have such tournaments. In fact, not just football, other sports should feature such formats. This would give a lot of exposure to the young talents of our country”, she says.

However, Samantaray has no particular favorite team in the league. “I will decide once the league starts. I wish there could be a team from Odisha too. We have a lot of good players in the state. But having said, that I wish the teams all the very best and hope that the best team wins,” she adds.

International sand artist, and hockey connesseur Sudarshan Pattnaik (pic below) — the world renowed artist has created a number of sand arts for hockey — expects that HIL will create a craze for hockey.

“Just like IPL which has given cricket a boost, I hope HIL will also be able to make hockey a household name. I have been an ardent supporter of hockey and expect that this edition will encourage the youngsters.”

Similarly, Chess champion Swayangsu Satyapragyan also supports HIL.

“Being a national game of the country, hockey is not getting enough exposure as it should. Hockey India League is a good move in this regard. This tournament would definitely induce more sponsors in the game. But, this is just the first step. I hope it goes a long way in training young minds and helping India achieves medals in Olympics.”

However there is a feeling that the state should have got its own franchise, more so agaist the fact that at least a dozen Odhisa players represent other Franchises. Further, the previous league attempts like Premier Hockey League — which the State’s legend Dilip Tirkey won twice — and World Series Hockey — where the State’s Roshan Minz had been declared Best Player with a purse of Rs. 50 lacs — leave a right chord in the consciousness of the region.

There is of course some solace as neighbourhood hockey provenance Ranchi got one in Ranchi Rhinos.

Hockey India League is all set to showcase some excellent hockey spiced up with glamour from January 14th onwards. This new commercial format has not only bought a new hope for the dying national game but also placed itself as an example to other sports in the country.

That the people of Odhisa will be keenly following the HIL is stating the obvious