Former Team India cricketer Dinesh Mongia (left) and actor Anubhav Mohanty toss a coin for a celebrity cricket match on the inaugural day of KIIT Premier League and (below) KIIT University founder Achyuta Samanta felicitates actor Anubhav Mohanty (right) on the first day of KIIT Premier League as former Team India cricketer Dinesh Mongia (left) looks on. Telegraph picture

Odisha cine stars fought a “pitched” battle on the cricket ground of KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, on Sunday to mark the beginning of the sixth KIIT Premier League (KPL). Right from actors Anubhav Mohanty and Munna Khan to newcomers such as Sambit and Dipen, a galaxy of actors took part in the friendly match. Dinesh Mongia, former India cricketer, was the chief guest on the inaugural day of KPL.

The tournament features eight university teams from across the country. Group A includes Delhi University, Jamia Millia Islamia University, Delhi, Kurukshetra University, Haryana and KIIT, Bhubaneswar. Group B has Andhra University, Hyderabad, Utkal University, Bhubaneswar, Goutam Buddha University, Noida, and SRM University, Chennai. A cash award of Rs 5 lakh will be given as total prize money, with Rs 2 lakh being reserved for the champion side.

The runners-up will win Rs 1.5 lakh while the team finishing third will get Rs 25,000. This apart, the team in fourth position and semi-final winners will be awarded Rs 10,000 each. There are cash awards for man of the series, man of the match, best batsman, bowler, fielder and wicketkeeper of the tournament.

Hopes rekindled

Cancer survivors shared stories of resilience, hope and courage at a seminar hosted by the Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan University, Bhubaneswar, to mark World Cancer Day on February 4. Actor-director Hara Patnaik, who successfully battled the disease, recounted his experience saying cancer can be defeated.

“Once a person is afflicted with cancer, it is not that a cure is not possible. But one has to fight back,” said Patnaik, who got treated in Vellore. He was among 20 cancer survivors gathered at the event titled “Steps of Hope: A Celebration of Cancer Survivors”. They said cancer drugs were being sold at a much higher price but could be controlled through the government’s intervention. Senior government officer Sarada Prasanna Mishra, who also survived the disease, said those successfully fending off cancer should be called “cancer conquerors”. Music director Manmath Mishra also spoke on the occasion. Radiologist Ranjit Kar said 40 per cent of all cancers could be prevented while the rest could be detected, treated and cured. Oral surgeon Harsh Pathak said a survey report showed that a person, on an average, spent Rs 14,597 before reaching the proper centre for treatment. “The need is early detection and the right treatment,” he said. The Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar, also observed the day. Odisha governor M.C. Bhandare said: “Understanding of cancer assumes great importance, because cancer is a disease that does not knock before it enters.”

On your marks

Athlos, the annual sports extravaganza of Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar (XIMB), was held from February 1 to 3 with several B-schools of the country vying for top honours. Cricket found maximum participation with players and supporters braving the morning fog, blazing afternoon sun and chilly evenings to play the game. The event was the perfect platform for budding pace bowlers from team XIMB to show their skills. However, the highlight of the three-day event was international students, who are here on an exchange programme, taking part in various activities. The home team featured European students in almost all sporting events. Those from the 3-Continent Master of Global Management programme put together a cheerleading team, which inspired the XIMB men’s basketball team to win. The badminton court was the hotspot at night, where XIMB alumni and IMT-Nagpur fought it out in a tense game of nearly matched perfection and skill, with the latter winning by a narrow margin. Fierce battles were also played out on the chessboard and table tennis court. Gladson Vinod from XIMB alumni team stood out, as he single-handedly reversed fortunes on basketball and volleyball courts, and the athletics field.

Annual bash

Cheer and joy filled the campus of Municipal College, Rourkela, as students celebrated their annual day on February 5. A host of events marked the daylong bash. The programme began on a musical note with NCC cadets of the college presenting a medley of heart-warming songs in Odia and Hindi. This was followed by some energetic moves and shakes on the stage with students performing classical, folk and modern dances. The constant cheering and applauding by the audience added zing to the event. Principal J.K. Rao presented the annual report, highlighting achievements of the college and meritorious students were awarded.

Tech tips

Academics, researchers and professionals in the field of computer science world over have gathered at KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, to exchange research results and ideas on the foundations and applications of distributed computing and Internet technologies. The 9th International Conference on Distributed Computing and Internet Technology (ICDCIT) began on Tuesday. The three-day event features invited submissions of research papers containing original contributions to the foundations and applications of distributed computing, Internet technology and societal applications and related areas. Forty-four papers by 87 authors have been submitted. At the third student research symposium, being held parallel to the ICDCIT, 10 papers by 18 authors have been submitted.

Health care

The Institute of Medical Sciences and Sum Hospital, Bhubaneswar, on February 3 launched a dedicated Centre for Human Reproduction (CHR) to specifically deal with infertility issues. Babita Panda, associate professor and chief consultant of CHR, said there was a rise in the incidence of infertility among the general population. “Environment factors, work stress, lack of time for each other and lifestyle factors contribute greatly to the issue of childlessness,” she said, adding that the new centre would focus on counselling before any treatment commences.