Cuttack, January 10: Ahead of the opening ceremony of the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup on Wednesday at Barabati Stadium here, noted artist Sudarsan Pattnaik and his team on Tuesday created hockey stick of 1,05ft long, with installation of more than 5,000 hockey balls on Mahanadi river bank to mark the start of the mega Hockey event beginning from January 13.
“World’s longest sand Hockey stick of 1,05ft long, with installation of 5,000 hockey balls on Mahanadi river bank at Cuttack, Odisha. I with my my team completed within two days,” said Pattnaik.
Meanwhile, Barabati Stadium is getting ready to host the opening ceremony of the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup on Wednesday. FIH Men’s World Cup 2023 scheduled to begin from January 13 at Bhubaneswar and Rourkela.
A pandal has also been erected in the stadium complex with a gigantic replica of Konark Temple wheel depicted on it. A team of artists from Delhi and Mumbai were engaged to prepare the stage for the inaugural ceremony.
A gigantic stage has been erected in the middle of the ground where most of the cultural events will take place.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has invited all the Chief Ministers to attend the event. He has also announced that Odisha Government will give a cash award of Rs one crore to each player of the Indian Hockey team if they win the FIH Men’s World Cup 2023 scheduled to begin from January 13 at Bhubaneswar and Rourkela.
The event will start at 3 PM and end by 10 PM.
FIH Hockey Men’s WC matches will be played in two venues, Bhubaneswar and Rourkela. Rourkela being a new venue, is all set to welcome hockey enthusiasts with a seating capacity of 20,000, making it world’s largest Birsa Munda Hockey stadium.
Hockey India in collaboration with State Government is organising the mega sports event.
