'Deeply Anguished': Naveen Patnaik Accuses Odisha Govt of Changing Indian Hockey Team's Jersey Colour to Saffron
New Delhi: Former Odisha chief minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) supremo Naveen Patnaik has accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state of being instrumental behind changing the Indian hockey team’s jersey colour from blue to saffron.
Odisha government is the primary sponsor of the Indian hockey team.
“I am deeply anguished to know that the legendary colour of the Indian hockey team’s jersey has been changed to saffron. The iconic shade of blue of the Indian hockey team is not just a colour. It is an emotion associated with the nation’s sporting heritage,” said Patnaik in a post on X on Thursday (July 30).
He added that the move has deeply hurt the sentiments of lakhs of sports lovers across the country and the pride with which Odisha has supported the national hockey.
“I am given to understand that this step was taken under pressure from the BJP Government in Odisha. Those in authority may deny it, but the fact is that for the last two years, everybody in Odisha has seen the obsession of this government with changing colours of buildings, buses and even bridges. It is the only work that is happening in Odisha today. But now the same government has changed the colours of our national team. I strongly condemn this attempt by BJP Odisha to politicise a national game like hockey,” said Patnaik.
The former chief minister added that for decades, the blue colour had united Indians in hope, in victory, in defeat and in the pursuit of sporting excellence.
“We have cried, laughed, celebrated and stood proudly with our men and women in blue. Wearing the blue jersey our teams have won Olympic medals with the national anthem playing on the world stage. #Blue is derived from the blue chakra in our national flag. It is a symbol of our national pride and identity. The colour blue belongs to every Indian,” said Patnaik.
I am deeply anguished to know that the legendary colour of the Indian hockey team’s jersey has been changed to saffron. The iconic shade of blue of the Indian hockey team is not just a colour. It is an emotion associated with the nation’s sporting heritage.
For decades, this… pic.twitter.com/4cgXOvpxdJ
— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) July 30, 2026
“Our blue jersey is to us what the iconic stripes are to Argentina and the yellow jersey is to Brazil. It is etched in our collective memory. Any change in this colour, is a crass attempt to erase our priceless sporting legacy. National symbols are meant to unite us not divide,” Patnaik added.
Patnaik said that just because the government has changed in Odisha, it should not change the national team's colours and termed the move as “petty politics of the worst kind.”
“When the national hockey teams were struggling for sponsors, #Odisha created history by being the first and only state to support our national teams and our beloved game. Every Odia across the globe was proud of the state’s gift to national hockey. After 41 long years, our men’s team won an Olympic medal,” said Patnaik in his post.
The Indian national hockey team on July 27 had revealed its “new India jersey” – an all-saffron or kesariya t-shirt, sharply departing from the former blue that the team has worn for decades – ahead of the 2026 World Cup in Netherlands and Belgium.
The move has triggered widespread criticism from former players and social media users, who are calling out the “saffronisation” of sports after the systemic imposition of the politically-charged colour by the incumbent BJP over the past decade.
Earlier, former India men’s team captain and Olympian Viren Rasquinha had described the decision as “embarrassing” and questioned why the management decided to drop the iconic blue that fans have always associated with the national team.
Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey says decision taken without his knowledge
Meanwhile, Press Trust of India reported that Hockey India (HI) president Dilip Tirkey has said that the decision was taken without his knowledge.
In an internal mail to HI officials, Tirkey has stated that the decision was taken "without being placed before the Executive Board for discussion and without my prior knowledge."
"I request the concerned HI officials to provide me with a written clarification at the earliest, outlining the basis for the decision, the process followed and the circumstances under which the change was approved and implemented. This will enable me to respond appropriately and accurately," Tirkey said in the mail.
Tirkey said in his email that he has been asked by the Government of Odisha to provide clarification about the matter.
However, HI secretary Bhola Nath Singh said that HI only implemented what the players had demanded after due consultation.
"The decision to change the colour was circulated in our internal group, so all officials should be aware about it. We never thought it would be such a big issue. There was no outside pressure on us from anywhere to make the colour change. It is being unnecessarily politicised," Singh told PTI.
This article went live on July thirty-first, two thousand twenty six, at four minutes past four in the afternoon.The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.
