Bhubaneswar, September 25 (Odisha.in) The 73rd All India Railway Athletic Championship will be held at Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar from 5th to 8th of Oct 2007.
Railway Sports Promotion Board has decided to allot this years All India Railway Athletic to be conducted by East Coast Railway, since East Coast Railway had successfully organised the Championship of 2005 at Bhubaneswar.
The motto behind organizing the Championship is to popularize Athletics as a game among the young children of Orissa. S. S. Khurana, General Manager, East Coast Railway at Rail Vihar, East Coast Railway Headquarters said.
Railway is committed to encourage talented sports persons by way of employments and other facilities.
East Coast Railway wants to serve the cause of sports by organizing such sports championship where children will have the opportunity to see international stars in action.
He also informed that a womens Hockey Team is being built up in East Coast Railway as a number of National level players are coming up from this part of India. Besides, East Coast Railway is constructing an International Standard Stadium at Bhubaneswar.
The first phase of work of the stadium is almost over and the second phase of the work will start shortly. Within the next two years a full-fledged Cricket Stadium will be ready at Bhubaneswar.
Khurana, released a Mascot for the championship, named KALINGAA, in the memory of a baby elephant who died in Chandaka forest recently.
23 teams from different zones and Production Units of Indian Railways shall be participating in men and woman events, D. K. Samantaray, President, East Coast Railway sports Association said.
About 500 athletic both men and women including 100 officials will be participating in 44 events.
More than 100 International Athletes and Olympians including Arjun Awardees like S. S. Shobha, Soma Biswas and S. Geeta shall be seen in action.
Besides Yester-years stars like Splint Queen, P. T. Usha,Shiney Wilson, Rachita Mistry and Olympian Bhaskaran, Bahadur Prasad, Indian Women Cricket Team Captain, Mithali Raj, Dillip Tirkey and Several other popular Indian sports personalities will be the attraction of the championship.
A torch rally will be held from Khandagiri Caves to Kalinga Stadium on 05th October 2007 from 8.00 A.M onwards. General Manager, East Coast Railway will hand over the Mashal to P.T. Usha and number of Olympians will participate in the rally.
Naveen Patnaik, Chief Minister of Orissa will inaugurate the Championship on 5th October at 11.00 a.m., Debasis Nayak, Minister of Sport and Youth services and K.C. Jena, Chairman, Railway Board will grace the occasion as guests of honour.
Speaking on the arrangements of the Championship Shri S. K. Patra, General Secretary, East Coast Railway Sports Association explained about the accommodation and sanitary parts of the participants stay during the championship.
The Press meet was organised by Shri B. K. Mishra, Chief Public Relations Officer, East Coast Railway.
Odisha.in