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Hockey India President Dilip Tirkey expressed his pride and joy at Odisha's historic triumph in the senior National men's hockey championship. Born and raised in Sundargarh, a district renowned for its passion for hockey, Tirkey attributed the sport's popularity to the abundance of artificial pitches, sports hostels, and government support."Sundargarh has over a dozen artificial pitches and numerous sports hostels. The State Government provides significant support," Tirkey explained. "In fact, Odisha boasts the best infrastructure for hockey. Earlier, Odisha players played for private teams in the Nationals. Now, we have formed a formidable team."Tirkey emphasized the importance of the Nationals for Hockey India, acknowledging the need to review the tournament format. "We are discussing the need for a change. Some teams have conceded a lot of goals, which is not conducive to the future of Indian hockey," he said.Regarding the absence of current India players in the Nationals, Tirkey cited international tournaments and the upcoming Hockey India League as reasons for their rest. "We want our national players to participate in the Nationals. But with so many international events and the HIL, we wanted them to rest," he explained.Tirkey also addressed the role of Hockey India's High Performance Director in promoting grassroots talent. "We are organizing programs for boys and girls in various age groups. Our High Performance Director and his team are actively involved in scouting and development," he said.

Manipur's hockey team has defied all odds to reach the semifinals of the Hockey India-14th senior National men's championship in Chennai. Despite facing obstacles such as ethnic violence and financial constraints, the team has showcased remarkable resilience and determination.The team's journey began in October, when preparations were hampered by ongoing violence in Manipur. Practice sessions were frequently canceled, and the team's participation in the Nationals was uncertain due to lack of funds. However, through the support of well-wishers, including businessmen, individuals, and politicians, Manipur managed to secure the necessary resources to travel to Chennai.On the field, Manipur has played with a combination of skill, passion, and strategy. They upset Bengal in the group stage and then stunned defending champion Punjab in the quarterfinals. This victory was particularly sweet for Manipur, as they had lost to Punjab at the same stage last year.Midfielder Nilakanta Sharma, a Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist, has been a key figure for Manipur. He guided the younger players and provided valuable experience. Sharma emphasized the team's strong mentality and the importance of securing jobs for the players."It was very satisfying to reach the semifinals. My boys must get a job. That will be even more satisfying," said Sharma.Manipur's success has not only brought pride to the state but has also highlighted the challenges faced by athletes in conflict-ridden regions. The team's determination to overcome adversity serves as an inspiration to all who aspire to achieve their dreams.

In a thrilling encounter at the 14th Hockey India senior National men's championship, Manipur emerged victorious over Bengal 3-1 in a Pool H clash. The match was a battle for the top spot in the group, with both teams entering the contest with unblemished records.Manipur dominated the early stages of the game, but it was Bengal who struck first through Nitesh Neupane in the 51st minute. However, Manipur responded swiftly, with Moirangthem Rabichandra Singh equalizing just four minutes later. Nilakanta Sharma then put Manipur ahead in the 45th minute, and Cyril Lugun sealed the victory with a goal in the 55th minute.Bengal had its chances throughout the match, but failed to capitalize on them. The team's defense was also unable to contain Manipur's attacking prowess, which proved to be the difference in the end.In Pool F, Uttar Pradesh continued its impressive run with an 11-1 victory over Jammu & Kashmir. The win secured Uttar Pradesh's place in the quarterfinals. Vishnukant Singh and Lalit Kumar Upadhyay led the scoring for Uttar Pradesh with two goals each, while Atul Deep, Chandan Singh, Faraz Mohd., Iktidar Ishrat, Arun Sahani, and Jay Prakash Patel also found the back of the net.The results of the other matches in the tournament were as follows:* Pool A: Punjab 8 (Gurjinder Singh 8, 11, Jobanpreet Singh 14, Surdarshan Singh 38, 39, Pardeep Singh 42, 50, Gursahibjit Singh 44) bt Dadra Nagar and Daman & Diu 0.* Pool B: Haryana 5 (Pankaj 29, Joginder Singh 32, 48, Deepak 35, Rajinder Singh 37) bt Telangana 1 (Venkatesh Telugu 58).* Pool F: Delhi 6 (Dheeraj Vats 4, 28, Govind Singh Bisht 19, Nitesh 22, 41, 44) bt Kerala 1 (Rishabh Kushwaha 41).* Pool H: Assam 4 (Abdul Qadir 10, 30, 40, Aniket Tiwari 44) bt Bihar 1 (Ravi Kumar 21).

The 14th Hockey India senior National men's hockey championship has been marred by a series of lopsided matches, raising concerns about the format of the tournament. Tamil Nadu's massive 43-0 victory over Andaman and Nicobar in a Pool-C tie exemplified this issue.The one-sided nature of the match was evident from the outset, as Tamil Nadu scored 13 goals in the first quarter alone. The second quarter saw a further 12 goals, followed by 10 in the third and 8 in the fourth. Tamil Nadu's Sundarapandi emerged as the star of the match, scoring nine goals.This result came on the heels of several other one-sided matches in the tournament. Maharashtra thrashed Gujarat 30-0, Manipur crushed Bihar 19-1, and Madhya Pradesh blanked Andaman and Nicobar 29-0.The lopsided scores have raised questions about the need to re-examine the tournament format. Critics argue that the current system allows weaker teams to be humiliated, which is detrimental to the development of the sport.One possible solution is to introduce a tiered system, where teams are divided into different divisions based on their strength. This would ensure that teams are competing against opponents of a similar level, reducing the likelihood of such lopsided results.Another option is to implement a mercy rule, which would stop the match if one team gains a significant lead. This would prevent teams from being subjected to excessive punishment.The Hockey India Federation (HIF) has acknowledged the concerns and is considering changes to the tournament format. A decision is expected to be made before the next edition of the championship.