: Out of the Ordinary: Historical Making of World’s Largest Seated Hockey Stadium in Odisha #IndiaNEWS #India After hosting the spectacular FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup in 2018 in Bhubaneswar at

Out of the Ordinary: Historical Making of World’s Largest Seated Hockey Stadium in Odisha #IndiaNEWS #India
After hosting the spectacular FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup in 2018 in Bhubaneswar at the iconic Kalinga Stadium, Odisha has once again set records by not only hosting the consecutive edition of the Men’s Hockey World Cup in 2023, but also at two venues, Bhubaneswar and Rourkela.

To ensure this World Cup was bigger and better and catered to a large number of Hockey fans, a new world class stadium was constructed in Rourkela the Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium. It was a tribute to the hockey heartland of Odisha as well as Indian hockey players.

Named after tribal leader and legendary freedom fighter Birsa Munda, the stadium has officially entered the Gunnies Book of Records as the largest seated hockey stadium in the world with a total seating capacity of 20,011. It also features accessible seats so no one remains barred from enjoying a good game of hockey at this grand stadium.

The Men’s Hockey World Cup that was held from 13 to 29 January, featured the top 16 teams of the world including Australia, Argentina, France, South Africa, Belgium, Germany, Korea, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Malaysia, Chile, India, England, Spain, and Wales. During this period the players, officials and fans had a memorable experience, especially at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium, with most returning as brand ambassadors for Odisha.

The hockey fraternity has been vocal This World Cup is Class Apart!

Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium has officially entered the Gunnies Book of Records as the largest seated hockey stadium in the world. Picture credit: Wikipedia

Story behind World’s Largest Seated Hockey Stadium

In India, hockey is often perceived as the national sport due to its historical significance. Now, the sport could become the pulse of the nation. Here’s the story behind the Birsa Munda Hockey stadium.

In 2021, the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik-led government allocated 15 acres of land within the Biju Patnaik University of Technology Campus in Rourkela and handed the responsibility of construction to the Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation.

Sundargarh was a natural choice to build the largest seated stadium here, having been the cradle of hockey and producing over 60 international players and Olympians including the legendary Dilip Tirkey, Prabodh Tirkey, Lazarus Barla, Deep Grace Ekka, and Amit Rohidas, to name a few,

It is believed that hockey was introduced in Sundargarh by European missionaries who came to the tribal district in the 1860s. More than a century later, the sport has seeped into the cultural identity of the district, which is home to several tribes such as the Orams, the Kharia, the Munda, and the Bhuniya communities.