Odisha’s Gameplan: Building Futures Through Grassroots Sports

Odisha has emerged as a quiet yet powerful force on India’s athletic stage. Far from the media glare, the state has pursued a Panchayat-to-Podium model that is as methodical as it is ambitious. Building a durable pipeline of athletes by embedding sports infrastructure deep into its rural fabric and nurturing talent from the village up, the state is simultaneously reimagining the social and economic potential of sport.

From sprinting golds to hockey dominance and swimming breakthroughs, the state is scripting a compelling growth story — not only of medals won, but of livelihoods created, regional pride stoked, and infrastructure redefined.

Building the Bedrock

The cornerstone of Odisha’s sporting resurgence is infrastructure, — developed for access, not optics.

A budget of ₹4,124 crore has been earmarked for stadium construction across all 314 blocks of the state. Each facility, spanning 10 acres, is multi-disciplinary by design, supporting a broad range of sports including athletics, football, volleyball, and indoor disciplines like table tennis and badminton. Integrated coaching centres ensure that the physical build-out is matched by skill development.

The state is constructing 13 district-level swimming pools. While the intent is partly to promote swimming as a life skill, the larger objective is to seed a future cohort of competitive swimmers.

Scouting and Scaling Talent

A standout initiative in Odisha’s decentralised talent model is the CM Trophy Football Championship. Organised in collaboration with the Football Association of Odisha, the state-wide tournament scouts Under-15 players through local leagues and culminates in a high-level selection camp. The top 60 talents are inducted into a state team, a grassroots-to-elite pipeline that has already begun to yield results in national tournaments.

Odisha’s performance at the 38th National Games in 2025 underlined the depth of its talent. The state finished 12th in the overall medal tally — its best ever — with 14 gold, 15 silver, and 17 bronze medals across disciplines.

Particularly dominant in athletics, Odia sprinters secured top honours in the men’s 100m, 200m, 400m, and the 4x100m relay. This clean sweep was replicated at the Indian Grand Prix 2, where all three podium positions in the men’s 100m were claimed by Odia athletes.

On the global stage, 19 athletes from the state represented India in 2025, competing in events as far afield as South Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Trinidad and Tobago.

Multi-Disciplinary Momentum

Beyond track and field, Odisha’s strength is spread across multiple disciplines. In hockey, a sport long associated with the state, both men’s and women’s teams secured national gold medals in 2024 and 2025, respectively. A total of 12 players from Odisha currently don the India jersey at international tournaments.

In weightlifting, Jyoshna Sabar made headlines with a youth Asian record and a bronze medal at the IWF World Youth Championships 2025. Gymnastics saw Odisha’s Junior Women’s Artistic Gymnastics (WAG) team clinch gold for the first time at the national level, while the senior WAG team added a bronze.

The state’s swimming fortunes have also turned a corner. From obscurity, Odisha captured its first national swimming gold at the National Games in the 4x100m medley relay, following up on a similar win at the Senior National Aquatic Championship.

Kho Kho teams earned silver in both men’s and women’s categories at the National Games, with the girls’ team winning gold at the Khelo India Youth Games. Odisha’s women’s football team reached the finals of the Senior Women’s National Football Championship, while the boys earned silver at Khelo India, signs of a broad-based sporting renaissance.

From Playing Fields to World Stages

What further distinguishes Odisha is its positioning as a serious venue for national and global sporting events. The state has hosted over 30 events, from Indian Super League matches to the BWF Odisha Masters and FIH Pro League fixtures. In August 2025, Odisha will break new ground by hosting India’s first-ever World Athletics Bronze Level Continental Tour.

The state’s engagement with sport is also experiential. A government-supported winter adventure camp in Manali recently brought over 100 students into the fold, showcasing an approach where sport is both competitive and character-building.

Looking Ahead

Odisha’s long game is now coming into sharp focus. Its investment strategy reflects not just a commitment to medals, but to transformation of lives, districts, and ambitions. By targeting inclusion, consistency, and scale, Odisha is building more than athletes. It is building identity, confidence, and an economic engine for the future.

In a country where success is often skewed towards a few metropolitan centres, Odisha offers a compelling counterpoint — proving that with the right intent and institutional support, even the most under-served regions can rise to international acclaim.