Hockey as National Game: Rathore sees no need for official word

New Delhi, June 21

A day after Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to declare hockey the National Game, Union Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore said no official proclamation was required to love the sport. 

"For loving sports and hockey, we do not need an official proclamation... In terms of facilities, hockey is one of the priority sports of our country," said Rathore. He said he would leave it to the people to decide whether they really want hockey to be declared the National Game officially. Odisha is hosting the hockey World Cup in Bhubaneswar in November this year. It was while reviewing the preparations Patnaik learnt that hockey had never been officially notified as the National Game. In his letter to the PM, Patnaik wrote: “I am sure you will agree with the crores of hockey loving fans of our country — that hockey truly deserves to be notified as our National Game. This will be a fitting tribute to the great hockey players who have made our country proud. It will also inspire our future generations.” — ANI