Motor sports 

The Kalinga Motor Sports Club (KMSC), in association with the Nepal Automobile Sports Association (Nasa), staged the first Indo-Nepal Friendship Motor Rally from February 27. In the event, 24 teams, involving 120 participants from India and Nepal joined the rally, which was flagged off twice — in Puri by tourism minister Ashok Chandra Panda and in Bhubaneswar by chief minister Naveen Patnaik. The 3,060km rally would reach Kathmandu before culminating at the India Gate in New Delhi on March 8. Former Odisha sports minister Praveen Chandra Bhanjdeo, retired Army General, senior bureaucrats, politicians, motor rally veterans and many more first-timers have joined the event to spread the word of friendship between India and Nepal.

National cycle polo

The Bhubaneswar Cycle Polo Association, under the aegis of Odisha Cycle Polo Association, had hosted the 31st sub-junior boys, 35th junior boys and 37th men’s national cycle polo championships at Kalinga stadium in the city from February 25 to 27. Altogether 26 states and three units of services took part in the event that was staged for the first time here. The territorial army team regained the men’s title after a gap of four years defeating Kerala in the final by 14-8 goals. This was the fourth overall title for territorial army, who had earlier won in 2007, 2008 and 2010.

Rugby

All the different teams from the city fared well in the All-India Senior National Division-II Callaghan Cup Rugby 15s Tournament hosted at the Kalinga stadium. Bhubaneswar-based team Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) were crowned champions. They defeated Bangalore Rugby Football Club (RFC) 27-23 in the final. Both KISS and Bangalore RFC, however, qualified for Division-I. Bhubaneswar Bulls won the Plate final, defeating Kashis RFC 7-5. Kashis RFC team was disqualified for including non-registered players. The Bhubaneswar team finished third crushing Chhattisgarh 65-5.

Power kick

All India Football Federation has selected five U-14 women footballers from the state for the National Football Coaching Camp scheduled at SAI NSWC, Gandhinagar (Gujarat) from March 4. The players are Namita Panna and Anjali Barua from Sundargarh and Shanti Murmu and Banya Kabiraj of Sports Hostel, Bhubaneswar and Janaki Murmu of KISS Bhubaneswar. Odia football star Sradhanjali Samnatray has been appointed the assistant coach of this team.

Straight drive

In the Kalahandi Cup Senior Inter-district Cricket Tournament, Bhubaneswar A, Cuttack B, Bargarh and Bhubaneswar B qualified for the semi-finals. The tournament, which is being conducted by the Odisha Cricket Association at various grounds in Cuttack, Bhubaneswar and Tangi from February 13, completed its super league phase. Last time champions Cuttack A could not reach the final four after two consecutive draws against Bargarh and Sambalpur in their super league matches. Though both Cuttack A and Bargarh had the highest points (six each) in Group-II, Bargarh qualified for the semi-finals by beating Sambalpur. The semi-finals will be played from March 4 to 7, when Bargarh will face Bhubanswar A and Cuttack B will play against Bhubaneswar B. 

New sports complex

A modern sports complex worth Rs 25 crore will be set up in Burla by Mahanadi Coalfields Limited. The foundation stone for the same was laid by chief minister Naveen Patnaik on last Friday. The international-standard sports complex will have a state-of-the-art swimming pool and a watersports centre with multi-purpose indoor hall, an outdoor stadium with an advanced athletic track, football field, peripheral jogging track, 50-bed hostel each for boys and girls, accommodation or guesthouse facility for staff members, foreign coaches and scientists.

Tributes

Veteran footballer Bhawani Bhusan Ray died on last Friday. He was around 60 years old. Ray made a rich contribution to the sport in Odisha. He had represented the state many times in the National Football Championship for Santosh Trophy. Members of the Football Association of Odisha paid him tributes. 

Former chess player of Odisha and 11 times state senior chess champion Krishna Duruswamy Pillai breathed his last at the age of 77 on last Wednesday. He was the former president of the Odisha State Chess Association. He was crowned the state Senior Chess Champion in 1960, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1974, 1976, 1978, 1979 and 1982.