Rashmita Sahoo will take part in the Women’s World Cup Kabaddi Championship in Patna starting March 1. Telegraph picture

Jajpur, Feb. 27: Jajpur will have reason to be proud when the Indian kabaddi team goes into a huddle at the Indoor Stadium at Patliputra Sports Complex of Patna.

Local girl Rashmita Sahoo will be one of the girls in the team.

Rashmita will participate in the Women’s World Cup Kabaddi Championship in Patna starting March 1. Rashmita, 21, is the only Odia player to have made it to the 12-member national team.

“I am extremely happy. It is an honour to represent the country and be the only one from the state to have been selected for this international event. I am aware of my responsibilities and of the expectations people of Odisha and my well-wishers have from me. My team mates and I are very working hard to bring glory to the country,” Rashmita told The Telegraph over phone from Patna.

Rashmita, who hails from a farmer’s family in Badaniranjanpur village of the district, started playing kabaddi during her school days. She was trained by Purnachadra Sethi of Kuakhia Sporting Club, who played a major role in introducing her into the district-level and state-level kabaddi tournaments.

“We knew that one day Rashmita would excel at the international stage. She is very talented, confident, disciplined and bubbling with enthusiasm. She is also a quick learner. All my wishes are with her,” said Sethi.

The sportswoman’s family is ecstatic about her selection. “Being a girl from a village, she did not have access to adequate facilities. However, she managed to overcome all these hurdles to rise to this height. This is because of God’s blessings and her determination. I am really proud of my daughter. So is everyone in the village. I am hopeful that she will make a mark in this event,” said Rashmita’s father Duryodhan Sahoo.

Sixteen countries have confirmed their participation in the upcoming four-day tournament being organised by the Bihar government on the occasion of “Bihar Sthapana Divas” (Bihar Foundation Day) under the auspices of the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India, the Asian Kabaddi Federation and the International Kabaddi Federation, official sources said.

Besides India, teams from the US, Malaysia, Mexico, Chinese Taipei, Italy, Sri Lanka, Canada, Nepal, Japan, Iran, Korea, Bangladesh, Indonesia, England and Thailand would be taking part in this event to be played under floodlights on synthetic mats.