FOR GOALS SCORED

Why the International Hockey Federation has bestowed its prestigious FIH President’s Award on Odisha bureaucrat VK Pandian.

SIDDHARTHA TRIPATHY

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has rightfully garnered much praise over the years for having the vision of making Bhubaneswar the sports capital of India and putting Odisha on the world map by realising it.

And yet not many know about the man who ensured the on-the-ground execution of that grand vision as the state hosted a series of high-profile international sporting events over the past decade, not just successfully but impressively so.

That is because the man in question had carefully maintained an extremely low profile, perhaps so he could focus on delivering the goods without any distraction. While he certainly succeeded in his efforts, the world could wait no longer to give credit where it was due.

As a result, V Karthikeyan Pandian – who has been private secretary to the CM for a decade and now also oversees the implementation of the state government’s transformative initiatives as 5T secretary – was recognised with the FIH President’s Award during the 47^th Congress of the International Hockey Federation held virtually yesterday.

As Hockey India put it on its Twitter account, the award was in recognition of “his outstanding contribution and services to hockey in Odisha”.

While speculation had been rife for long, it is now official that Pandian played a key role in successful organisation of international hockey events, most notable among which was the 2018 Men’s FIH Hockey World Cup, at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar. The 2000-batch IAS officer is also believed to be a factor in Odisha being chosen as the stage for the 2023 Men’s FIH Hockey World Cup, with Bhubaneswar and Rourkela set to share hosting duties this time.

According to sources close to development, Pandian is personally monitoring the development of the India’s largest hockey stadium in Rourkela, which is expected to be ready well in time for the big-ticket event ahead.

With the unwavering support of the five-time Chief Minister and the enthusiasm of one of the Odisha’s finest bureaucrats, the state’s future as a global sports hub looks assured.