Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi felicitated the Asian Games gold medal-winning Indian men’s and women’s hockey teams at Kalinga Stadium here on Friday evening.
The Indian men retained their crown that they won at the Hangzhou Asian Games, while the women emerged champions after 44 years.
The Chief Minister presented cash awards totalling Rs 5.61 crore to the players of two teams and their support staff. Each player was awarded Rs 11 lakh, while every member of the support staff received Rs 5.5 lakh.
The Odisha players — Amit Rohidas and Shilanand Lakra in men’s team, and Sunelita Toppo in women’s squad – were rewarded an additional Rs 20 lakh each for their outstanding contributions.
ଏସୀୟ କ୍ରୀଡ଼ା ୨୦୨୬ରେ ଦେଶ ପାଇଁ ସ୍ୱର୍ଣ୍ଣିମ ଇତିହାସ ରଚିଥିବା ଭାରତୀୟ ପୁରୁଷ ଓ ମହିଳା ହକି ଦଳକୁ କଳିଙ୍ଗ ଷ୍ଟାଡିଅମରେ ଆୟୋଜିତ ଭବ୍ୟ ସମ୍ବର୍ଦ୍ଧନା ସମାରୋହରେ ହାର୍ଦ୍ଦିକ ସ୍ୱାଗତ ଓ ଅଭିନନ୍ଦନ ଜଣାଇଲି।
ଉଭୟ ଦଳର ଏହି ଐତିହାସିକ ସଫଳତା ଏବଂ ୨୦୨୮ ଲସ୍ ଏଞ୍ଜେଲସ୍ ଅଲିମ୍ପିକ୍ସ ପାଇଁ ଯୋଗ୍ୟତା ଅର୍ଜନ ସମଗ୍ର ବିଶ୍ୱ କ୍ରୀଡ଼ା ମାନଚିତ୍ରରେ ଭାରତର ସ୍ଥିତିକୁ ସୁଦୃଢ଼ କରିଛି। ଓଡ଼ିଶାର ସୁଯୋଗ୍ୟ ସନ୍ତାନ ଅମିତ ରୋହିଦାସ, ଶିଳାନନ୍ଦ ଲାକ୍ରା ଏବଂ ସୁନେଲିତା ଟପୋଙ୍କ ଅସାଧାରଣ ପ୍ରଦର୍ଶନ ସମଗ୍ର ରାଜ୍ୟକୁ ଗୌରବାନ୍ୱିତ କରିବା ସହ ଆଗାମୀ ପିଢ଼ିର ଯୁବ ପ୍ରତିଭାଙ୍କ ପାଇଁ ଅତୁଟ ପ୍ରେରଣା ସୃଷ୍ଟି କରିଛି।
ଏହି ଉଲ୍ଲେଖନୀୟ ସଫଳତା ଲାଗି ରାଜ୍ୟ ସରକାରଙ୍କ ତରଫରୁ ଖେଳାଳି ଏବଂ ସପୋର୍ଟ ଷ୍ଟାଫ୍ଙ୍କ ପାଇଁ ସ୍ୱତନ୍ତ୍ର ପୁରସ୍କାର ରାଶି ଘୋଷଣା କରି ସମ୍ମାନିତ କଲି। ବିଜୟୀ ଦଳର ପ୍ରତ୍ୟେକ ଖେଳାଳି ଏବଂ ପ୍ରଶିକ୍ଷକଙ୍କ କଠିନ ପରିଶ୍ରମ ଓ ଅଦମ୍ୟ ଇଚ୍ଛାଶକ୍ତିକୁ ଉଚିତ ସ୍ୱୀକୃତି ଦେବା ସହ କ୍ରୀଡ଼ାବିତ୍ଙ୍କ ମନୋବଳକୁ ଆହୁରି ସୁଦୃଢ଼ କରିବା ଆମର ମୁଖ୍ୟ ଉଦ୍ଦେଶ୍ୟ। ଆମ ସରକାର ସର୍ବଦା କ୍ରୀଡ଼ାର ଉନ୍ନତି ଓ ଖେଳାଳିମାନଙ୍କ ସ୍ୱାର୍ଥ ରକ୍ଷା ପାଇଁ ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ସମର୍ପଣର ସହ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟ କରିଚାଲିବ।
Welcomed and felicitated India’s gold-winning men’s and women’s hockey teams at Kalinga Stadium for their historic Asian Games 2026 triumph and qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Presented special cash rewards to the players and support staffs celebrating their dedication and reaffirming Odisha’s commitment to Indian hockey and sports excellence.
— Mohan Charan Majhi (@MohanMOdisha) October 16, 2026
CM Majhi described the players as role models for the country’s youth.
The Odisha CM lauded the leadership of the two captains Salima Tete and Harmanpreet Singh.
Majhi applauded Odisha’s Rohidas, Lakra and Toppo of Sundargarh district, for bringing laurels to the state and the country through their talent and hard work.
The Odisha CM highlighted the state’s push for sports infrastructure, saying that the government was expanding facilities beyond Bhubaneswar and building stadiums at the block level with an investment of more than Rs 4,000 crore.
He said the proposed Rs 1,000-crore Global Sports Complex at Gothapatna and the 2028 World Indoor Athletics Championships at Kalinga Stadium will strengthen Odisha’s position as a major sporting destination.
State Sports & Youth Services Minister Suryabanshi Suraj said hockey was a passion for Odisha, and a symbol of the state’s identity. He hoped Rohidas, Lakra and Toppo’s gold-winning efforts will inspire young athletes, especially in rural areas, to pursue international sporting careers.
Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey, Chief Secretary Anu Garg, Sports Department Commissioner-cum-Secretary Bhupendra Singh Poonia and Director Yedulla Vijay were among dignitaries present at the felicitation ceremony.