Sundargarh Lok Sabha constituency of Odisha is gearing up for a high-profile contest. Taking on BJP strongman Jual Oram from the tribal-dominated seat are Janardan Dehury of the Congress and BJD's Dilip Tirkey, an iconic hockey star.
Sundargarh seat has about 15.67 lakh registered voters, of which about 7.99 lakh are tribal people. The Biju Janata Dal candidate is expected to receive the backing of the Christian community along with the hockey enthusiasts in a constituency known for its craze for the national game. The contest is a rematch for Dilip Tirkey as former Union tribal affairs minister Jual Oram had defeated him in the 2014 polls.
Who is Dilip Tirkey?
Dilip Tirkey is the former captain of the Indian hockey team and serves as the President of Hockey India. Hailing from the ‘Hockey Village’ of Saunamara in Sundargarh, he was born to Regina Tirkey and ex-CRPF hockey player Vincent Tirkey in 1977.
In 2012, Tirkey became a member of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD). He was nominated as a Rajya Sabha member in 2012, representing BJD, and served in this position till 2018. Tirkey made his electoral debut a decade ago in 2014, contesting the Lok Sabha elections from the Sundargarh constituency, but suffered a heavy defeat by the BJP's Jual Oram by more than 18,000 votes.
He also served as the Chairman of the Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC) and Chairman of the Odisha Hockey Promotion Council.
Iconic career in hockey
Tirkey, who debuted in 1995 against England, was a full-back player and is well known for his penalty corner hits. During his 15-year career, he represented India in 412 international matches including 3 Olympics. He captained the team in the 2002 Asian Games and the 2004 Summer Games held in Athens and many others.
The first and only Indian to represent the team in 400 international matches, Tirkey was honoured with the Arjuna award in 2002 and became the first tribal recipient of the Padmashri in 2004. For his indispensable contributions in the field of sports, he received an honorary doctorate in Sports Science from Sri Sri University in Cuttack. He declared his retirement from sports in 2010.
He has been a role model for a large number of aspiring hockey players, and his success and international recognition inspired many young athletes, producing over 100 hockey players who represented India from the district. His influence in Sundargarh cannot be solely attributed to his hockey career but also his initiatives for sports and community development. His transformation from a star player to a prominent political figure has marked his influence in Odisha.
Innings in politics
His political career has enabled him to address the issues in Sundargarh on a broader level. He even made use of this opportunity to campaign for the renowned hockey player Dhyan Chand to receive Bharat Ratna posthumously. He is all set to contest the upcoming 5th phase of the Lok Sabha elections on May 20, 2024, in the Sundargarh constituency, Odisha.
Sundargarh will go to polls in the fifth phase of the elections on May 20.