SUNDERGARH, Jan. 14 -- Odisha has produced some of the finest hockey players who not only left footprints at the international level, but went on to lead the national side in major tournaments. Dilip Tirkey, Ignace Tirkey, Lazarus Barla, Prabodh Tirkey, Jyoti Sunita Kullu, Sunita Lakra, Anupa Barla, Binita Toppo, Birendra Lakra, Amit Rohidas, Dipsan Tirkey and many others proved champions in the field game. And it is these players who provide a 'spike' to the dreams of thousands in Odisha and help them chase the spherical hard plastic in the grass territory.
When it comes to the intent-level, the decade-old Kandey Lakra Memorial Hockey Tournament in Sundergarh, tagged as the epicentre of hockey in Odisha, is one of its kinds because of two...