The date was 15th June, 2019. After an intense fortnight of entertaining hockey, the FIH Series Finals had come down to hosts India and a rejuvenated South Africa.
The final whistle brought a pandemonium in the 15,000 seater Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar.
India had thumped South Africa 5-1 to keep its dream of Olympic participation alive. Spectators rushed close to the barricades to catch a glimpse of their heroes while the Indian skipper led his team in a sincere round of applause for the supportive fans. Everything seemed picture perfect.
May 3, Cyclone Fani had ravaged the capital bringing the city infrastructure to its knees. Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar’s beating heart, was scheduled to host the prestigious Hockey Series Finals the next month, the possibility of which seemed to hang in a precarious balance.
Months of planning and preparation were literally blown away in a matter of hours and the sporting capital of India needed a miracle to bring things back on track.
And that is exactly what happened. While the entire city was slowly getting back on its feet, Kalinga Stadium became a matter of prestige for all its residents.
Odisha was unwilling to bow down to adversary and after a month of unflinching hard work, the race against time was won. Renovations were completed right on time and the entire event was a roaring success.
Odisha might be a frequent recipient of nature’s fury, but what makes the state exceptional is its innate propensity for resurgence. And Kalinga Stadium is the perfect epitome of the same Odia spirit.
When former Chief Minister of Odisha, Biju Patnaik laid the foundation stone of Kalinga Stadium in 1978, he envisioned it as an incubator for future champions. Not limited to any one particular discipline, Kalinga Stadium has played host to world class events in Athletics, Hockey, Swimming, Tennis and Rugby, giving the people of Odisha the perfect platform to grab the world’s attention.
But over the time, Biju Patnaik’s vision has not only been fulfilled but has exceeded to heights that would surely make him proud.
Kalinga Stadium is now going to become the home of Odisha F.C: the perfect confluence of ambition and opportunity. Football has found the perfect home.
The moment Odisha F.C step into the lush green centre of Kalinga Stadium, they will forever be a part of the glorious legacy of the state’s “Theatre of Dreams”.
They will be the torchbearers of the Indian Super League (ISL) in a state where sports resides in the heart of every citizen and sportsmen are venerated by ardent fans. This is the beginning of an association that is destined to meet unprecedented success because Kalinga Stadium has never aspired for anything less.
With thousands of enthusiastic fans cheering them in every match, Odisha F.C will be infused with the spirit of Kalinga Stadium: perseverance, resurgence and excellence. The fort is ready for its beloved knights.
By Satwik Raut
