Sports is beyond politics. It's about building a healthy and society.
In the runup to the men’s hockey WorldCup in Bhubaneswar, Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik speaks of the state’s passionate support for the game. He also shares Odisha’s desire to be the country’s sports hub.
This sporty avatar of Odisha is very different from when you took charge of the state 18 years ago. What made you focus on this transformation? Was it the success of Odisha sportspersons nationally and internationally?
There is a transformation of Odisha in every sector today, which is quite evident in the improvement of various parameters com pared to 18 years ago. We have been focus ing on the main social and economic development schemes for a long time. In recent years, we have been trying to focus on sports as well, especially in view of the potential of our talented youth and the achievements of our sportspersons in vari ous fora. We believe that there is a vast, hidden sporting talent in the state which needs to be nurtured and mentored in a systematic manner.
What is the message and vibe you want Odisha to send out to the world through this mega event, the World Cup?
This story is from the December 15, 2018 edition of Sportstar.
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This story is from the December 15, 2018 edition of Sportstar.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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