Bhubaneswar: Naveen Patnaik is an important character in the rise of the Indian hockey team. There are many stories of the former Chief Minister of Odisha’s love for hockey. Many players of the hockey team, who returned with a bronze medal in the Paris Olympics, met him and thanked him for supporting hockey in difficult days.
India won the bronze medal in the Paris Olympics 2024. The team defeated Spain 2-1 in the bronze medal match to secure a podium position for the second consecutive time. After this victory, the hockey team has returned home. Meanwhile, some players of the Indian hockey team met Naveen Patnaik. Earlier, the hockey team was given a grand welcome in Bhubaneswar.
The Olympic medal-winning Indian hockey team met Naveen Patnaik at Naveen Niwas. During this, the former CM honored the players and he expected gold from the team next time.
The players of the Indian hockey team said, “What Naveen Patnaik sir has done for Hockey India cannot be described in words. He stood by us when no one stood up for us. He has a big contribution in making Odisha a sports capital.”
The former CM told the players, “The entire team has performed brilliantly. Congratulations to all of you. You will definitely win gold next time.”
It is worth mentioning here that Odisha is the sponsor of the hockey team till 2036. In this sequence, when the team reached Bhubaneswar after winning the bronze medal in the Olympic Games, the players were given a grand welcome by the Odisha government.
