A World Cup event being held in your city is certainly reason to celebrate. We are talking about the Men’s Hockey World Cup which will be held from November 28-December 16 at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar. Everyone is eagerly waiting for D-day. Among those making plans to see the matches are homemakers who can barely contain their excitement. Orissa POST asked some of them about their plans.
Gangotri Mahasuara, a Bhubaneswar-based homemaker, says, “I am a sports lover. Be it cricket, hockey or badminton, I enjoy playing and watching games. As for the Hockey World Cup, I am waiting for the extravaganza to kickstart. I have heard that the World Cup matches will be streamed live on YouTube. As many as a million people are expected to catch these matches live. The videos of every match as well as highlights will be available on the official channel too. Besides, one can also keep track of the latest updates through Facebook and Twitter. However, I don’t want to miss the chance of watching at least one match in the stadium. It is a matter of pride for me that my city is hosting the event.”
Manasi Sethy, who resides in Jharsuguda, says, “The last time India won the World Cup was back in 1975, when I was not even born. I was brought up in an atmosphere where cricket is the only talked about sport. I became fascinated by hockey after watching the movie Chak De India which tells the story about an Indian women’s national hockey team. I started watching hockey leagues after the movie made a lasting impact on me. It’s really a matter of honour that we are hosting such a gala event in our state capital. Credit should be given to our Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. I just wish India wins the World Cup. To be frank, I am not going to the stadium to watch any match as I am allergic to sound. That doesn’t mean that my support for India would be any less.”
Soumya Mishra from Puri says, “Hosting the event in Bhubaneswar no doubt will help hockey grow in a state like Odisha which has produced players like Dilip Tirkey. Everyone is working tirelessly to make this event a huge success. The walls leading to Kalinga Stadium have been painted and the stadium has undergone a revamp. With only a few days left for the carnival to kick off, I am excited to be part of the event and want it to be a memorable one. Though it may be tough to buy tickets for every single match, I don’t want to miss the finale whether India plays or not.”
Banita Palai, a Chennai-based homemaker, says, “My heart beats for hockey. After all, it’s our national sport. When I learnt that Bhubaneswar is hosting the grand event, I was so happy. Sixteen teams will compete for the coveted title. A total of 36 matches will be played and each of the 16 participating teams will play three matches during the league stage, which will be followed by four cross-over matches and the medal contention ones. I was supposed to go to Bhubaneswar to visit my in-laws during Dussehra. However, we changed our plan because we wanted to be there during the Hockey World Cup and cheer for the Indian team. My husband has asked one of his close pals to book tickets for us. The trajectory of hockey as a sport has been rising in recent years in India. I am also eagerly waiting to see the international players. I hope my friends also come forward and support our hockey team during the event.
RASHMI REKHA DAS, OP