After election as Hockey India President, Tirkey thanks state federations, Odisha CM for showing faith in him

By Kapil Bhargav
Bhubaneshwar (Odisha) [India], September 25 : Dilip Tirkey thanked all the state federations and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for showing faith in him.
The newly elected president mentioned that his unopposed election as the President of Hockey India is the reflection of Odisha and its Chief Minister's efforts to promote sports, especially hockey.
"My unopposed selection for the post of Hockey India President is the reflection of Odisha's efforts to promote sports, especially Hockey and the commitment shown by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in this field. It came in the form of the support extended by all State Federation," said newly elected Hockey India President Dilip Tirkey while talking to ANI
Tirkey further said, "Being a sports person it's a proud moment for me. It's the first time when a sports person has been given the charge of Hockey India. As President, being a sports person it's easy to understand the issues as we have experienced as a player during the camps, national or international tournaments etc, so the experience and suggestions of the sports person always plays an important role in the administration."
He hoped that with the support from all, Hockey will see new heights.
Talking about the challenges and priorities as Hockey India President Tirkey said, "The job of Hockey India president is full of responsibility, the momentum that Indian Hockey team has picked up in last 10 to 12 year, managing that is definitely going to be a challenging task for me."
"As we have seen that rising performance of our both men's and women's team, now we can compete in Olympic after a long time, our boys can win the bronze medal in modern hockey, our women's team can reach in semi-finals, they narrowly missed the medal, but wherever the lacking we have to work hard on them, our focus will also be on the Sub-junior or Junior teams. We need to strengthen the coaching programmes for them and other facilities as they are our future," he added.
"In modern hockey, those teams have the best goalkeeper and drag-flicker, they are the World's best teams, we have to follow that and take it as the drive to produce more and more goalkeepers and drag-flickers. We have to work in this area when we are searching for legends and world-class players for the future we can't neglect it," Tirkey talked about the need of the hour in hockey.
"There are many places, which have given us many legend players in the past but there is no hockey anymore at some of these places, we will hold the discussion with the state governments and the association to revive the hockey by launching the grassroot programme and quality training," the President said.
Wherever there was hockey before, places that have given us legends in the past, there is no hockey anymore at some of those places. Punjab still plays a lot of hockey but there are other places that used to give us a lot of players, it's not happening there anymore. We will talk to them (state associations), as promoting the sport is going to be our priority
"The coming World Cup in 2023 is important for us. The Government of Odisha and Hockey India are already working on it, recently a delegation of FIH) Hockey India, Committee of Administrators visited Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium that will be co-hosting the World Cup and they were happy with the progress in work and confident that all the remaining work will be completed before the World Cup on time."
"The State Government and Hockey India want to make this coming World Cup a memorable World Cup for all the players, and hockey lovers just like Odisha hosted a memorable World Cup in 2018."