Sundargarh wears its sobriquets comfortably. The second largest district in Odisha, Sundargarh is known as the cradle of hockey in India and also as capital of hockey in the country. The district is home to the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela which hosted the Men’s World Cup in 2023 and also to 90 percent of Odisha’s hockey players.
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Sundargarh has given India more than 50 international players, many making their mark at the top-most level from Olympics to World Cups.
~ Source: The New Indian ExpressHow then can the sport not be woven into the warp and weft of tribal life? Children dribble stones with bamboo sticks on their way to school, and as local chronicler Sunil Pattnayak once explained to President APJ Abdul Kalam, it’s simply about “stick, field, and ball”—the only things that matter to these communities.
It was in this rich sporting landscape of Rourkela that Lions of District 322C2 was all set to host the 3rd Multiple Council Meeting. Following MD 322’s tradition of combining council meetings with community service, Lions of the area travelled to several remote villages and saw that even basic gear was out of reach for the children who played hockey with such passion. After consulting local sporting clubs, they identified 100 young talents from Saunamara and Hamirpur villages who needed support.
When Lions gathered for the Council Meeting on January 30-31, 2025, they worked together to pack individual kits—uniforms, shoes, socks, hockey sticks, and gear bags—carefully matching them to each trainee’s size.
The aspiring players were brought from their villages to the World Cup village in three buses for the distribution ceremony. Adding a special touch to the event was the presence of Hockey India President Dilip Tirkey. Recipient of the Padmashree Award, the former captain of the Indian Hockey Team also hails from Saunamara village, and has represented India in three Olympics.
International Director Rajkumar Agarwal applauded District 322C2’s vision to promote youth, while District Governor Pradip Agarwal committed to undertaking more youth-focused programs in the coming days.
As the children from Saunamara and Hamirpur villages headed home with their new gear, their excitement was palpable. In a region that has given India many hockey stars, these Lions are supporting talented youth in their sporting aspirations.
