Bhubaneswar, Aug 14 (IANS): Naval Tata Hockey Academy (NTHA) Odisha, based out of Kalinga Hockey Complex, Kalinga stadium, has completed one year of its journey of grooming hockey talent of the state and shaping the future of the sport in the country.

The academy, established by the states government's department of sports & youth services, in partnership with HAF (Hockey Ace Foundation) and under the aegis of Tata Trusts and Tata Steel, was launched on August 13, 2019, by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik with a vision to groom the upcoming sporting talent in hockey and produce world-class sportspersons.

NTHA Odisha has ventured into planned grassroot programs in Sundargarh & Sambalpur districts and has opened 10 grassroot centres with the deployment of 16 grassroot coaches to cater to the age group of 7-14 years. These centres have already registered 2000 girls and boys with focus on gender diversity.

On the occasion, Tusharkanti Behera, Minister of Sports & IT, Odisha government, said: "I congratulate each and every one at Naval Tata Hockey Academy, Odisha on its first anniversary. This high-performance Centre for hockey was set up with the aim to promote the sport and nurture athletes for the elite level, and it gives me immense pleasure that in a short span the centre has grown and continues to evolve."