THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

BHUBANESWAR, AUGUST 29, 2026

Odisha on Saturday celebrated National Sports Day with Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi calling for a concerted effort to transform the state into the sports capital of the world, while unveiling an ambitious vision to take sporting talent from the grassroots to the global podium.

Addressing the state-level National Sports Day celebration at the Convention Centre in Lok Seva Bhawan as the chief guest, Majhi paid rich tribute to hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand on his birth anniversary and extended greetings to the people of Odisha.

Recalling the extraordinary contribution of the legendary hockey player, popularly known as the ‘Wizard of Hockey’, the Chief Minister urged young people to draw inspiration from Dhyan Chand’s philosophy that the true measure of an individual lies not in what the country has done for them, but in what they have done for the country.

Referring to this year’s national theme, ‘Khelega Bharat, Jitega Bharat’, Majhi gave Odisha a sporting slogan of its own — ‘Kheliba Odisha, Jitiba Odisha’ — and called upon the people to work collectively to establish the state as a global sports hub.

Highlighting Odisha’s remarkable sporting transformation through its ‘From Field to Podium’ approach, Majhi said the state has emerged as one of India’s major sporting powerhouses.

He said the government was committed to building world-class sports infrastructure and providing quality training facilities so that sporting talent could be identified and nurtured from an early age.

As part of the drive to strengthen sports at the grassroots level, ultramodern stadiums are being constructed in 314 blocks across Odisha at a cost of Rs 4,124 crore, he said.

A world-class sports complex is also being developed at Gothapatna in Bhubaneswar, while the Baji Rout Regional Sports Hub is being established in Dhenkanal along with five other regional sports hubs.

The Chief Minister said initiatives such as the CM Trophy were being organised to identify promising rural athletes and provide them a platform to showcase their talent. Sports, he emphasised, were being viewed not merely as a competitive activity but also as a powerful instrument of social transformation.

In an effort to expand sporting opportunities in underserved areas, sports equipment is being distributed among youths in 485 villages across 10 Maoist-affected districts, Majhi said.

Majhi also highlighted Odisha’s achievement in securing the opportunity to host the 2028 Asian and World Athletics Indoor Championships, describing it as a landmark moment as the prestigious championships will be held in India for the first time.

The hosting opportunity, he said, reflected Odisha’s growing stature on the international sporting map and its expanding capacity to stage major global sporting events.

The National Sports Day celebration also witnessed the presentation of several prestigious state sports awards.

The Biju Patnaik Adventure Award was conferred on Soumyaranjan Behera of Nayagarh district. Posthumous Biju Patnaik Adventure Awards were presented to the late Nilamadhab Panda and Sunil Kumar Ray of Jajpur district.

The Biju Patnaik Sports Award for lifelong contribution to the promotion of sports and sportspersons went to Pranati Mishra, while Shakti Prasad Nanda received the award for excellence in sports journalism.

Loma Swain was honoured for outstanding performance in sports, while Gopal Krushna Dash was named Best Coach. Suchitra Parida received the Best Para Athlete award.

The Best Emerging Sportsperson awards went to Prateek Maharana and Payal Nag, while Prabodh Kumar Mohanty was honoured as the Best Technical Official.

The Best Sports Promotion Organisation Award was presented to Samaleswari Sporting Club of Sambalpur. The award was received by the club’s president and Sambalpur MLA Jayanarayan Mishra.

Speaking on the occasion, Sports and Youth Services Minister Suryabanshi Suraj paid tribute to Major Dhyan Chand and said sporting skills alone were not enough to create a champion.

Dedication and discipline, he said, were equally essential to transform an ordinary player into a great sportsperson.

Urging athletes to make Dhyan Chand’s dedication and commitment a guiding principle, Suraj advised children to make sports a part of their daily routine and reduce excessive screen time.

Chief Secretary Anu Garg highlighted the inspiring achievements of para archer Payal Nag of Balangir district, who, despite being born without hands, has won a gold medal in sports and emerged as a powerful inspiration for others.

Garg stressed that physical fitness was essential not only for sporting success but also for building a prosperous Odisha.

She said the state government had conceptualised the Fit Odisha Mission, which would be accorded priority from the gram panchayat to the municipal level, with the objective of promoting fitness as a mass movement.

Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the Sports and Youth Services Department Bhupendra Singh Punia delivered the welcome address, while Director of the Sports and Youth Services Department Yeddula Vijay proposed the vote of thanks.