Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao Encourages Players; Key Decisions Taken for Hockey Development in the State
Published on: December 12, 2025
By: BTNI
Location: Rajnandgaon, India
The 17th Annual General Meeting of Chhattisgarh Hockey was successfully held at the International Hockey Stadium in Rajnandgaon. The meeting highlighted strategies for the upliftment and development of hockey in the state, along with structured plans to identify and promote emerging players.
In a special address, Deputy Chief Minister and Sports Minister Arun Sao motivated the executive members of Chhattisgarh Hockey. He appreciated the commendable performances of state players in various national-level competitions under Hockey India. The Minister assured that the state government and the Sports Department will continue to provide all basic facilities and a positive environment essential for nurturing hockey talent in Chhattisgarh.
The meeting commenced with the approval of President Firoz Ansari, followed by a detailed review of the 2026–27 budget and the developmental activities undertaken by Chhattisgarh Hockey during the current term. The process for venue selection for sub-junior, junior, and senior tournaments for the upcoming year was also completed.
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Firoz Ansari urged all district hockey units, officials, and stakeholders to continue their support in taking hockey to greater heights. In a significant announcement, he declared a grant of ₹10,000 to district units organizing district-level hockey tournaments from this year onwards. He also announced that, under the Mahant Raja Sarveshwar Das Hockey Tournament scheduled for February, a seminar would be organized for qualified officials and coaches. Plans to conduct a state-level hockey championship soon were also discussed.
The annual general meeting witnessed the presence of several prominent members, including District Hockey Association Secretary Shivnarayan Dhaketa, international hockey player Mrinal Chaubey, Asha Thomas, M.Y. Qureshi, Gopeshwar Kehra, Ansar Ahmed, Neelamchand Jain, Bhushan Sao, Rajendra Jaiswal, Manjula Biswas, Naveen Masih, Reena Borkar, Tariq Qureshi, Jahangir Khan, Ayyub Irfan, Rakesh Gadhwal, Kumari Tulsi Sahu, Teerath Goswami, Rashmi Sandhya Ekka, Shakil Ahmed, Khemraj Sinha, Sukhdev Nirmalkar, Taufiq Ahmed, Inderpal Singh, Krishna Yadav, and others.
