Meet 'Bomman'- Mascot of Hockey Asian Champions Trophy 2023

Inspired by the Oscar-winning documentary, 'The Elephant Whispererers', "Bomman" was unveiled as the mascot of the upcoming Hockey Asian Champions Trophy in Chennai by Tamil Nadu sports minister Udhayanidhi Stalin on Thursday.

The mascot takes inspiration from the Oscar-winning documentary "The Elephant Whisperers," in which Bomman cares for orphaned baby elephant Raghu along with Bellie – both belonging to indigenous tribes in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu.

The mascot features the majestic Asian elephant, an animal widely revered throughout the continent, representing qualities such as strength, intelligence, and teamwork. These attributes also serve to underscore the key characteristics that athletes should possess.

The mascot was unveiled in the presence of Tamil Nadu government ministers, officials, and Hockey India administrative officials.

Tamil Nadu Sports Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin said, “I am honored to present Bomman, the mascot of the event. The mascot is inspired by the heart-warming story of indigenous couple Bomman and Bellie who have cared for orphaned elephants in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve. I believe this is a great way to value their contribution and create awareness among the athletes who participate in this prestigious event.”

"The mascot has been developed keeping the public in mind. Like the mascot Olly in Odisha which draws attention to the olive ridley turtles, we wanted to have a mascot that strikes a chord with everyone, fans of hockey and the general public alike," Hockey India President Dilip Tirkey said.

Hockey India also announced the ticket sales for the matches of the tournament which will be hosted at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium in Egmore.

A precursor to the all-important Hangzhou Asian Games in September, the Hero Asian Champions Trophy Chennai 2023 will see the continent's top hockey-playing nations including hosts India, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, Japan, and China vie for honors.

India will play their first match of the tournament against China on 3rd August. Their second match will be against Japan on 4th August. After a quick rest, India will face off against Malaysia on 6th August followed by a clash with Korea on the 7th August.

The last match of the group stage will be with Pakistan on the 9th of August.

This tournament will mark the return of hockey to Chennai and Tamil Nadu after 16 years when the city hosted the 2007 Asia Cup.