Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik attends India match at Hero Intercontinental Cup 2023
CM’s 5T secretary VK Pandian was also present on this occasion
Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday attended the India match of the Hero International Cup at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar. CM’s 5T secretary VK Pandian was also present on this occasion.
On this momentous occasion, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik met teams India and Mongolia during the line-up and conveyed his best wishes. Also, gracing the occasion were AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey, and Secretary General Dr. Shaji Prabhakaran.
Expressing his happiness over the Hero Cup in Bhubaneswar the CM said, “It delights me to see Odisha once again welcome a marquee football event at the iconic Kalinga Stadium. This exemplifies Odisha’s dedication to establishing itself as a prominent football hub in India. I am confident that the participating international teams will have a remarkable experience competing at this venue. Football enthusiasts from Odisha will have the opportunity to witness an exceptional display of the sport”.
Footballers from Odisha have an opportunity to watch and learn from their idols, he added.
This is the first time the Indian National Football team is playing in Odisha.
The CM assured the President AIFF Kalyan Chaubey full support for the development of football. In return, Chaubey thanked him for hosting the championship and appreciated the State government role in football development in the state.
Odisha has been investing in football development over the last few years. The FIFA under 17 women’s world cup was successfully organised in October 2022. Kalinga Stadium has been the host venue for various national level tournaments and leagues like the ISL, IWL, and Super Cup etc. The National Youth teams (Under 18 and 16 years) are based on Bhubaneswar with the support of the Odisha government.
