The Odisha government is set to get major investments in sports from big corporates of the country with the likes of  Reliance Industries,  JSW Group, Dalmia Bharat, Aditya Birla, Tata, Ahluwalia and others slated to tie up with the state when they converge for the Make in Odisha Conclave 2018 here on 12 November. In order to contribute to the development of Odisha sports and
support talented sportspersons, the state government and leading industrialists will be signing memoranda of understanding (MoUs) at the Kalinga Stadium, which will be hosting the upcoming Hockey World Cup.

Odisha is the first state to have decided to sponsor the national hockey team for five years. As part of a special programme, ‘Odisha Sports: Creating Partnerships for Excellence’, these leading industrialists will come forward to help promote the sports culture within the state by sponsoring one sporting
discipline each.

The move will enable the state to encourage and nurture talent in the field of sports from every part of India.

The following sports are being sponsored by the following various industries’ foundations for youth sports:

Athletics: Reliance Industries Group

Football and swimming: JSW Group

Badminton: Dalmia Bharat Group

Weightlifting: Ahluwalia Group

Shooting: Aditya Birla Group

Hockey: Tata Group

Speaking about the initiative, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said on Saturday: “The MOU attaches great importance to the collaboration with these industrialists giving us yet another major support in the effort to promote the cause of sporting culture. We can now substantially expand the prospects of developing these sporting disciplines together and creating a hub that is unparalleled worldwide.”

Sports Minister Chandra Sarathi Behera said these sporting disciplines were shortlisted as per their performance and the number of youths interested in taking up these sports.

Apart from the signing of the MoUs on 12 November, the conference will also see the unveiling of the World Cup Trophy by CM Naveen Patnaik and FIH President ahead of the Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018  to be held from 28 November to 16 December.

The state government has also entered into an understanding with star shuttler P Gopichand for a badminton academy in Odisha.