The 16th Tata Steel Friendship Cup Football Tournament-2026 was held at Kalinga Stadium. A friendly football tournament was organized on this occasion featuring teams comprising public representatives, administrative officials, media representatives, and Tata Steel personnel. The ‘Media 11’ team emerged as champions, while the ‘Officers 11’ team finished as runners-up.
On this occasion, the Chief Minister felicitated the seven male and three female hockey players from Odisha who were part of the Indian men’s and women’s teams that won the Junior Asia Cup Hockey 2026 in China; he also awarded a cash prize of ₹1.25 lakh to each player. The Chief Minister stated that sportsmanship is more important than winning or losing on the field. Sports also foster a sense of harmony among us; a sporting spirit and a sense of brotherhood form the foundation of a healthy society.
Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo; Minister of Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Rabi Narayan Naik; Minister of Health and Family Welfare Dr. Mukesh Mahaling; Minister of Industries, Skill Development and Technical Education Sampad Chandra Swain; Minister of Higher Education, Sports and Youth Services Suryabanshi Suraj; Government Chief Whip Saroj Kumar Pradhan; and Tata Steel Vice President (Corporate Services) D.B. Sundara Ramam were present on the occasion.
