Liberal Opinion: FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023: Luck sided with Germany as new World Cup champions

Prabhjot Singh February 2, 2023 87

Germans may not believe in numerology, but they cannot deny number 3 has proved lucky for them. When they took on defending champions Belgium in the final of the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup at nearly packed iconic Kalinga Stadium on Sunday (January 29), it was their third World Cup final on Indian soil. […]Continue Reading

Liberal Opinion: How important is connectivity for holding international sports events?

Prabhjot Singh February 2, 2023 90

One of important factors taken into consideration while allowing a major international sporting activity is the connectivity of the host city. In the case of FIH Odisha Hockey World Cup for men it is the connectivity of both Bhubaneswar and Rourkela.Since Bhubaneswar has been on the world sports scene in general and hockey in particular […]Continue Reading

Liberal Opinion: FIH Hockey World Cup: Why Odisha? Why not Punjab?

Prabhjot Singh January 27, 2023 684

What is wrong with Punjab? What are  the factors that prevent it for not opting to host the FIH Hockey World Cups for Junior Men and Men? Can Punjab help India regain its lost supremacy in hockey? Will Punjab Government come forward to sponsor major FIH  events, including Pro League? These are some of many […]Continue Reading

Liberal Opinion: Economy : Punjab has to move on to a new model

Prabhjot Singh January 27, 2023 250

Change, they say, is the only thing that is permanent. And to usher in change, it needs a lot of courage, initiative and planning. Only those who are bold  and ready to take challenges of tomorrow progress. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has shown those traits of courage and initiative to put the State firmly […]Continue Reading

Liberal Opinion: FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023: My Odisha Diary

Prabhjot Singh January 27, 2023 369

The 17-day 44-match hockey extravaganza has been a big draw.Olympians, internationals, coaches, umpires, technical officials, fans and lovers of the sport besides upcoming players have all descended on co-host cities of Bhubaneswar and Rourkela, Interestingly, a number of former coaches of Indian teams, both Indian and foreigner, are here. They include Roeland Oltmans, who was […]Continue Reading

Liberal Opinion: My Odisha Diary: Tathagatta Satpathy, Odisha Press Club and Hockey

Prabhjot Singh January 23, 2023 256

Hockey and Odisha have become synonymous. Since 2018 when Bhubaneswar played host to the 14th World Cup Hockey Tournament at newly constructed iconic Kalinga Stadium hockey has come full circle. It has got its second home in Rourkela in the world’s biggest Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium that has attached to it a 225-room Hockey Village. This […]Continue Reading

Liberal Opinion: FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup: Surprises, goals galore as competition moves to round two

Prabhjot Singh January 23, 2023 247

Surprises, both savory and unsavory, have been galore as  the defending champions Belgium, Australia, England  and the Netherlands made the last eight round in the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup. While the hosts India, Germany, Argentina, Spain, New Zealand, Malaysia, Korea and  France by virtue of finishing second and third in their respective pools would […]Continue Reading

Liberal Opinion: Politics: It is election time again

Prabhjot Singh January 23, 2023 204

In less than two months of assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat, India is heading for yet another round of battle for the ballot. This time the territories chosen for determining political supremacy are  North Eastern States. Tripura, Nagaland and Meghalaya will have new State legislatures in place by the first week of March […]Continue Reading

Liberal Opinion: Are developments in wrestling linked to mainstream politics?

Prabhjot Singh January 23, 2023 294

Sports and politics are inseparable. Politics in sports is no different than games politicians play. Difference, if any, is that those who are in sports normally rise above party politics. Cutting across party lines, they have strong group affiliations. Look at the previous National Sports Federations (NSFs), including the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), key players used […]Continue Reading

Liberal Opinion: Public Projects: When there is public money to burn

Prabhjot Singh January 16, 2023 334

Financial resources crunch, empty coffers, financial emergency, on brink of bankruptcy and bulging deficits are common adages often used to describe fiscal health of  various States in the country. But do we wonder how huge  “wasteful”  expenditures have grown over the years?Yes, there is a regulatory authority called Comptroller and Auditor General of India mandated […]Continue Reading

Liberal Opinion: FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023: Lahore has little happy memories for Indian hockey

Prabhjot Singh January 16, 2023 388

After its offer to hold the inaugural World Cup in Lahore was “aborted” because of  the Bangladesh liberation war, Pakistan won the rights to hold the 1990 World Cup. It was all the more important for Pakistan to prove a point to the hockey fraternity worldwide. Hurt and anguish of the London World Cup (Willesden […]Continue Reading

Liberal Opinion: Has Hockey become a Chief Ministers’ sport?

Prabhjot Singh January 16, 2023 312

If the flag of Indian hockey is still fluttering high, it is primarily because of the patronage the sport has got from some State Governments in general and a select band of Chief Ministers in particular. Has it become Chief Ministers’ sport? No, not really but for some exemplary lead roles played by a select […]Continue Reading

Liberal Opinion: Women activists may have reservations about events that unfolded in the first week of New Year

Prabhjot Singh January 9, 2023 345

Women activists feel peeved at the turn of events in the New Year. Three major stories have been hawking media headlines since New Year Day. All these stories have the woman at the receiving end. It started when a junior athletic coach lodged a complaint against Hockey Olympian and Haryana’s Minister of Sports, Sandeep Singh, […]Continue Reading

Liberal Opinion: FIH Hockey Men’s World Cup: Lahore was never a happy venue for Indian hockey

Prabhjot Singh January 9, 2023 365

In hockey, there is nothing more exciting than a match between neighbors and traditional rivals, India and Pakistan. Unfortunately, Pakistan did not qualify for the 15th edition of FIH Hockey Men’s World Cup. Memories will still be fresh in the minds of hockey fans of Odisha in general and Bhubaneswar in particular as Pakistan last played […]Continue Reading

Liberal Opinion: FIH Hockey Men’s World Cup Heroes: Aslam Sher Khan owes it to commentator Jasdev Singh

Prabhjot Singh January 5, 2023 393

Not many would remember that before the Indian team left the shores of the country to participate in the Kuala Lumpur tournament, it served an ultimatum that it would participate in the Kuala Lumpur World Cup only under the banner of the Indian Olympic Association. This ultimatum was the result of the bickering within the […]Continue Reading