Odisha Government provided jobs to a total of 53 meritorious sportspersons in different State Government Departments and Public Sector Undertakings (PSU) on the occasion of National Sports Day today. The 53 include 14 para-sportspersons.

The appointment orders were handed over by Sports Minister Tusharkanti Behera, in the presence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik during a function at Loka Seva Bhawan in Bhubaneswar.

Paralympic badminton champion Pramod Bhagat and body-builder Chandan Kumar Sahu were given Group-A posts in Odisha Minising Corporation (OMC). Seven sportspersons got Group-B posts, while 44 were given Group-C posts.

The seven who got Group-B posts are: blind chess internationals Prachurya Kumar Pradhan and his brother Soundarya Kumar Pradhan; para athletics ace Jayanti Behera, woman badminton international Rutaparna Panda, woman shooting international Shriyanka Sadangi, para-badminton international Gedala Dillashwar Rao and body builder Suvam Mishra.

Among the 53 sportspersons, eight were placed in OMC, 11 in Higher Education Department, 11 in Home Department, 11 in School & Mass Education Department, 11 in Revenue & Disaster Management Department (R&DM) and one in Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDCO).

LIST OF 53 SPORTSPERSONS WHO GOT GOVT JOBS:

1. Pramod Bhagat (Para-badminton) Group-A job in OMC, 2. Chandan Kumar Sahoo (Body-building), Group-A job in OMC.

3. Prachurya Kumar Pradhan (Blind chess), Group-B job in OMC, 4. Gedala Dillashwar Rao (Para-badminton), Group-B job in OMC, 5. Jayanti Behera (Para-athletics), Group-B job in OMC, 6. Shriyanka Sadangi (Shooting), Group-B job in OMC, 7. Suvam Mishra (Body-building), Group-B job in OMC, 8. Soundarya Kumar Pradhan (Blind chess), Group-B job in OMC, 9. Rutaparna Panda (Badminton), Group-B job in IDCO.

10. Bankim Chandra Mohanty (Para-athletics), Group-C job in Higher Education Dept, 11. Paresh Kumar Beura (Para-athletics), Group-C job in Higher Education    Dept, 12. Manjulata Pradhan (Rugby), Group-C job in Higher Education Dept, 13. Jemamani Naik (Rugby), Group-C job in Higher Education Dept, 14. Muna Murmu (Rugby), Group-C job in Higher Education Dept, 15. Rajani Sabar (Rugby), Group-C job in Higher Education Dept, 16. Saraswati Hansdah (Rugby), Group-C job in Higher Education Dept, 17. Asmita Barla (Hockey), Group-C job in Higher Education Dept, 18. Premita Bara (Hockey), Group-C job in Higher Education Dept, 19. Rahil Tirkey (Hockey), Group-C job in Higher Education Dept, 20. Premanjali Toppo (Hockey), Group-C job in Higher Education Dept, 21. Susanta Kumar Mallick (Para-athletics), Group-C job in Home Dept, 22. Subhrajeet Maharana (Para-badminton), Group-C job in Home Dept, 23. Iswar Machkhand (Powerlifting), Group-C job in Home Dept, 24. Surendra Jena (Rugby), Group-C job in Home Dept, 25. Sumitra Nayak (Rugby), Group-C job in Home Dept, 26. Soni Mandangi (Rugby), Group-C job in Home Dept, 27. Divya Ranjan Dalai (Rugby), Group-C job in Home Dept, 28. Jiwan Kishori Toppo (Hockey), Group-C job in Home Dept, 29. Ashim Kanchan Barla (Hockey), Group-C job in Home Dept, 30. Asima Minz (Hockey), Group-C job in Home Dept, 31. Bharati Ekka (Hockey), Group-C job in Home Dept,    32. Sukhram Majhi (Para-athletics), Group-C job in School & Mass Education Dept, 33. Niklas Pradhan (Para-athletics), Group-C job in School & Mass Education Dept, 34. Hupi Majhi (Rugby), Group-C job in School & Mass Education Dept, 35. Lija Sardar (Rugby), Group-C job in School & Mass Education Dept, 36. Rajkishore Murmu (Rugby), Group-C job in School & Mass Education Dept, 37. Laxmipriya Sahu (Rugby), Group-C job in School & Mass Education Dept, 38. Niranjan Biswal (Rugby), Group-C job in School & Mass Education Dept, 39. Bimla Barwa (Hockey), Group-C job in School & Mass Education Dept, 40. Laxmi Ekka (Hockey), Group-C job in School & Mass Education Dept, 41. Kumudini Lakra (Hockey), Group-C job in School & Mass Education Dept, 42. Janhabi Pradhan (Hockey), Group-C job in School & Mass Education Dept, 43. Sunil Pradhan (Para-badminton), Group-C job in R & DM Dept, 44. Punil Kumar Mansingh (Para-athletics), Group-C job in R & DM Dept, 45. Sanjukta Munda (Rugby), Group-C job in R & DM Dept, 46. Parbati Kisku (Rugby), Group-C job in R & DM Dept, 47. Gouranga Jamuda (Rugby), Group-C job in R & DM Dept, 48. Basanti Pangi (Rugby), Group-C job in R & DM Dept, 49. Khusbu Kujur (Hockey), Group-C job in R & DM Dept, 50. Dipti Lakra (Hockey), Group-C job in R & DM Dept, 51. Rojita Kujur (Hockey), Group-C job in R & DM Dept, 52. Akshay Kumar Sahoo (Para-Athletics), (Hockey), Group-C job in R & DM Dept, 53. Hiramani Soren (Rugby), Group-C job in R & DM Dept.
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PHOTO: Meritorious sportspersons pose with Chief Minister and Sports Minister after receiving appointment orders for different government jobs in Bhubaneswar on 29 August 2022.