Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday inaugurated high performance hockey center – Naval Hockey Academy (NTHA) at Kalinga Stadium here to nurture hockey talent in Odisha.
The NTHA has been opened as part of Tata Odisha Hockey Programme, a joint initiative of Odisha Government, Tata Steel and Tata Trusts.
As part of the programme, sports hostels located in Bhubaneswar, Sundargarh and Rourkela will become the Regional Development Centres (RDCs) and experts engaged by Tata Trusts and Tata Steel will work with RDCs to further enhance their efficiencies.
About 10-20 grassroots centres will be initially established in Sambalpur and Sundargarh to scout young players while budding talents will be recommended for admission into sports hostels.
“Odisha also will build infrastructure in these regions to improve the quality of hockey,” said a communiqué issued by the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO).
State Sports and Youth Services Minister Trusharkanti Behera and Tata Steel and Tata Trusts officials were present during the inaugural event.