The Church in India has congratulated Dilip Tirkey, who was elected unopposed as the president of the Ho-ckey Federation of India.
“We extend our congratulations to Dilip Tirkey for this new top job in India. The Church of India is definitely proud of him,” said Divine Word Father Nicholas Barla, secretary of the Office of Tribal Affairs under the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI).
Tirkey, a former India captain, on September 23 became Hockey India’s first player-president of the federation.
Hockey India elections were scheduled for October 1 but the results were de-clared in advance as there were no contestants.
Tirkey was elected after Uttar Pradesh Hockey chief Rakesh Katyal and Hockey Jharkhand’s Bhola Nath Singh withdrew their nominations.
Father Barla says Tirkey has come up from a rural set up in Sundargarh district of the eastern Indian state of Odisha, considered the hockey garden of the country. “We expect him to provide opportunities for rural as well talented youth,” he continued.