Bhubaneswar: The Vizag-based Hockey India League (HIL) men’s franchised team Gonasika launched its team logo here on Saturday. Four of Odisha players Nilam Sanjeep Xess, Birendra Lakra, Dipsan Tirkey and Anmol Ekka are in the Gonasika team.
The revamped HIL 2024-25 is featuring eight men's teams and six women's teams, marking the first standalone women's league in the country.
While unveiling the Gonasika team logo the Hockey India President Padmsree Dilip Tirkey expressed “the HIL is back with a lot of excitement and a biggest platform for the young Indian hockey players to play and learn from the many biggest international hockey players”.
Odisha is having a strong culture of hockey. The State is also one of the most fevorite destination for international events and the local players are also have equal importance. Tirkey added “in this HIL auction many Odisha based corporate houses shown their interest to have a men and women team for Odisha.
Tareni Prasad Mohanty the owner of Gonasika team said “I had keen interest to have a team for my State Odisha, but which was not possible this time. But four of the Odisha players are in our team. After three years We will put our effort to have team for Odisha”,
