Kalinga Lancers reveal their mascot "Bagha"

Kalinga Lancers with their new mascot “Bagha”

Hockey India League (HIL) debutantes Kalinga Lancers have unveiled their mascot “Bagha” at Bhubaneshwar on Wednesday.

The players also wore the newly unveiled kit at the launch which has the image of the mascot printed on it and will also have the logos of various sponsors of the team including Indian Oil Corporation, Nalco and Odisha Tourism Development Corporation. The players and Bagha, the mascot who is expected to promote tourism to the state, walked the ramp at a city hotel.

Chief coach Terry Walsh said that two captains had been selected for better coordination between Indian and foreign players.The team will be partly led by local boy Prabodh Tirkey and Australian defender Kiel Brown, who has played 138 international games.

Idco chairman-cum-managing director Vishal Dev stated: “We will rope in Odia cine artists for the opening ceremony of the event on January 28. Radio jingles are being broadcast on FM channels to promote the event.”

The team’s promoters have raised as much as 6 Crore Rupees through sponsorship deals.