ROURKELA: A two-minute conversation between Dilip Tirkey and chief minister Naveen Patnaik 20 years ago changed the narrative of hockey not just in Odisha but in India. Way back in 2003, Tirkey, then the captain of the national team, spoke to Patnaik on the need for an artificial turf in Bhubaneswar, which led to the sanction of a Rs 24-crore project at the Kalinga stadium.
Tirkey, now the president of Hockey India, is a proud man as Sundargarh district, where he hails from, is hosting its maiden World Cup, a moment he hadn't imagined. The former ace defender spoke to TOI on the World Cup, hockey beyond Odisha and more.