Though Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik laid the foundation of the hockey stadium on June 12, 2006, it was Tirkey, whose ill-treatment issue forced the state government expedite the work. But a humble Tirkey, now Rajya Sabha MP, gives all credit to the Chief Minister, who also inaugurated a state-of-the-art hockey stadium on July 29, 2013.

``When we met the Chief Minister with the proposal for setting up of the State Sports Academy, featuring hockey, athletics and swimming, he not only approved it but assured to make it one of the best in the world. Thanks to him, Bhubaneswar now has one of the best hockey stadiums in the world,`` said Tirkey on Tuesday.

``What makes Kalinga Stadium Hockey Complex a special venue is its proximity to international airport and star hotels. Lots of greenery around the complex adds to the beauty of the venue,`` opined Lazrus Barla, another hockey Olympian from Odisha.

According to Kalinga Stadium in-charge Bajia Mohanty, the state-of-the-art hockey stadium is the second of its kind in the country with two synthetic turfs within the same complex and the only one with identical blue-and-pink pitches. The second pitch, which is now being used for practice purpose, can stage matches after addition of some more peripheral facilities.

The main hockey complex has two spectator stands, lots of parking area and an international-standard swimming complex nearby. The West Stand with bucket seats, also has 25 rooms and 15 toilets. The rooms are being used as media centre, broadcast centre, offices of FIH and Hockey India staff, officials of State Sports & Youth Services Department and security personnel.

The West Stand houses players` changing rooms, kit rooms, store rooms, dope testing centre. But the stand has no bucket seats for spectators. Executed by Infrastructure Development Corporation of Odisha (IDCO) at a cost of around Rs 30 crore, the hockey complex is also being used by 60 trainees, including 30 girls of the newly opened senior hockey hostel inside Kalinga Stadium.

Government of India has provided a financial assistance of Rs 5 crores for this stadium under the Urban Sports Infrastructure Scheme (USIS). The Centre has been request to sanction another Rs 6 crore to meet the cost of expansion work. Financial support has also been received from Odisha Mining Corporation, MP LAD Fund and Special Problem Fund.

The blue-and-pink synthetic surfaces, the likes of which were used in 2012 London Olympics, have been laid by German-based Polytan Company at a cost of around Rs 6.5 crore each. Hockey India should be thankful to the Odisha government for letting it be the venue of the Champions Trophy free of cost.
---------------------------------------------------------------------- PHOTOS ----------------------------------------------------------------------
TOP: A view of the Kalinga Stadium Hockey Complex, the venue of the Men`s Champions Trophy, on Dec 2, 2014.
RIGHT: A view of the newly-laid practice pitch of Kalinga Stadium Hockey Complex on Dec 2, 2014.