The Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) has announced the Marquee Players for the much-anticipated Odisha Pro T20 League 2025, which will be held in September under the management of Arivaa Sports. Among the six marquee players, wicketkeeper-batter Aashirwad Swain has drawn special attention for being the youngest in the list at just 20 years and 175 days.
In a landmark achievement for Odisha’s cultural landscape, the Ganjam folk art-inspired short film Adamya has won the Best Short Film Award at the prestigious Nirmal Pandey Memorial Film Festival 2025. The win not only celebrates the timeless traditions of Ganjam but also places Odisha firmly in the national spotlight for its cinematic contributions.
In a historic achievement for Odisha, Champa Rasbeda, a young girl from the Didayi tribal community in Amri Behda of Malkangiri district, has become the first-ever Didayi girl to clear the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), paving her way towards a career in medicine. This remarkable milestone has not only brought immense pride to her family but also ignited hope and inspiration across her community, which has long struggled with lack of educational and healthcare opportunities.
Odisha’s para badminton players have once again brought international recognition to India with a remarkable performance at the Peru Para Badminton International Level 2 Championship, securing one gold and two bronze medals. The success came through the outstanding efforts of Deep Ranjan Bisoyee and Subhrajeet Maharana, who showcased determination and skill against some of the world’s best shuttlers.
Cuttack, Odisha has lost a culinary legend. Raghunath Sasmal, fondly known as Raghu Mausa or Raghu Babu, the man who immortalised Cuttack’s famous Dahibara-Aloodum, passed away on Saturday at the age of 91. He breathed his last at his residence in Gopalsahi, Bidanasi, leaving behind an unparalleled legacy in Odisha’s food culture.
In a proud moment for Odisha, a total of 22 police officers and personnel from the state will be honoured with prestigious police medals on the occasion of the 79th Independence Day this year, recognising their exceptional service, dedication, and bravery. Two senior officers, ASP Rabindra Kumar Panda and Commandant Naresh Patel have been selected for the President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service, one of the highest honours in the police force.
Odisha’s rising track star Pragyan Prasanti Sahu delivered a memorable performance at the World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze meet held at the iconic Kalinga Stadium on Sunday evening, clinching the gold medal in the Women’s 100m Hurdles.The 25-year-old athlete from Balasore, who has often competed in the shadow of national record-holder Jyothi Yarraji, showcased her composure and technique to perfection.
On a historic evening at the iconic Kalinga Stadium, Odisha’s sprint sensation Animesh Kujur stole the spotlight, thrilling thousands of fans as he stormed to victory in the Men’s 200m final at the World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze meet, the first-ever World Athletics global competition to be held in India. Cheered on by a packed home crowd, the 22-year-old Odisha athlete clocked 20.77 seconds to clinch gold, leaving his rivals trailing behind.
Bhubaneswar is all set to make sporting history this Sunday as the Kalinga Stadium hosts India’s first-ever World Athletics global meet, the World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze event. Organised in collaboration with World Athletics and the Athletics Federation of India (AFI), this one-day international athletics competition will see 160 elite athletes from 17 countries competing for glory.
Shaifalika Panda, Founder and CEO of the Bansidhar and Ila Panda Foundation (BIPF), the CSR arm of Indian Metals & Ferro Alloys Ltd. (IMFA), has been honoured with the prestigious Shakti Award at the We Women Want Conclave 2025, organised by NewsX in New Delhi. The award recognises her remarkable contribution to social work and her relentless efforts to drive empowerment and sustainable change in rural communities.
