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Majhi speaks to 2 Odisha hockey players

hellohimachalse@gmail.com 05 Oct 2026 3 hours ago

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister on Saturday spoke to two hockey players from the State who were part of the Indian men’s hockey team that won the gold medal at the Asian Games in Japan, and lauded their performance. Their success is a matter of immense pride for every Odia, he said.

“I spoke over the phone with two talented Odia players from the Indian men’s hockey team, the gold medal winners in the Asian Games, Amit Rohidas and Shilanand Lakra, and conveyed my heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to them as well as to the entire Indian team,” he said in a post on X.

“To my two Odia brothers Amit and Shilanand, my endless love and blessings. May this victorious journey for the nation continue unbroken, and may this success soar to even newer heights in the coming days – this is my prayer to Mahaprabhu Shri Jagannath,” Majhi said.

The Chief Minister also announced a cash reward of Rs 11 lakh for every player of the 2026 Asian Games gold-medal-winning men’s hockey team and Rs 5.5 lakh for each support staff member. India thrashed Malaysia 5-1 on Saturday to clinch the men’s hockey gold for the second time in the Asian Games and book a 2028 Olympics berth.

This came a day after the women defeated higher-ranked defending champions China 1-0 in the final to clinch the title after 44 years and also book an Olympic spot. This was the first time that both the men and women have ended on top in the same edition of the continental showpiece.

The Odisha government is the official sponsor of the Indian men’s and women’s hockey teams till 2036. In 2018, it became the first Indian State to sponsor national hockey teams. The State’s main Opposition, the BJD, claimed that the success of Indian hockey in the Asian Games was due to the party’s president and five-time former chief minister Naveen Patnaik’s visionary and bold decisions.

“When everyone let go of hockey’s hand, Naveen held it tight. Talent received honour, hockey received encouragement. Every Odia is proud today as a promoter of Indian hockey. Double Gold in Asian Games; One Man’s Vision, Entire Nation’s Pride!” it said in a social media post.

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