Monday, November 10, 2025

Rourkela is something hockey has never seen before, says Indian great

Yashodhan Nakhare speaks to Indian great Dilip Tirkey on a new hockey venue set to light up the 2023 Hockey World Cup

“The people of Odisha deserve this. During the 2018 Men’s World Cup, I saw people queuing up at 4:30 in the morning outside the Kalinga Stadium for tickets.” So says Indian great Dilip Tirkey on what could be replicated with the new Birsa Munda stadium in Rourkela, billed to be the biggest hockey-specific venue in the world. 

A veteran of three Olympics and the highest capped international player of all time, Tirkey now sits as the chairperson of Odisha Hockey Promotional Council.

Hailing from the district of Sundergarh, a place that needs no introduction to hockey, the former Indian captain spoke about Odisha, the two world class stadiums hosting the 2023 FIH Men’s World Cup and a lot more.  

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