Unauthorized use creates an impression that a document or event is official or endorsed by the government, which the laws are designed to prevent. Unauthorized use can lead to legal action, including fines and imprisonment. The Odisha government has also ordered strict compliance and legal action against unauthorized users. Departments have been directed to raise awareness and report violations. 

But OSBA has been found using the emblem openly, defying all rules. From state level ranking tournaments to international events, the emblem is being used on backdrop banners. Images of these banners with the emblem in sharp focus are being used on social media platforms and websites with impunity. It is understood if the State Government extends all support for these tournaments, including venues and fundings. But is it not a violation of rules to allow OSBA to use the emblem deliberately. 

Earlier the government tagline – Odisha: India’s Best Kept Secret – was used in sports events, organised or sponsored by the State Government. Now the emblem has been added for reasons best known to the government and the OSBA. The question is: who gave permission for this unlawful act. Will such permission be given for all sports events?

Violation of rules has crossed all limits with OSBA using the emblem on the tournament certificates issued to participating players. Is this act not making the certificates as government documents? Surprisingly, neither the government nor OSBA answered the questions. When contacted, both Sports Minister Suryabanshi Suraj and Sports Department (DSYS) Secretary Sachin Ramachandra Jadhav did not lift the phone. Of course, DSYS Director Dr Yeddula Vijay responded. But after hearing the question, his response was: “I have a call from my office. I will call you later.” Needless to say that he did not call.

OSBA secretary Nileen Kumar also did not respond to a phone call. However, OSBA president Rajesh Prabhakar Patil, IAS, was kind enough to receive a call despite being busy. Initially he tried to shift the responsibility to secretary Kumar, giving the impression that the issue was not important for him to reply. “I am the president. You should contact the secretary,” he said.

When informed that the secretary was not responding, president Patil claimed that OSBA had not violated any rule. “Since the tournaments are organised jointly by the State Government and the OSBA, and the government is providing the prize money, there is nothing wrong in using the emblem. I am a secretary to the government and I know,” he justified.

But using the emblem on players’ participation certificates does not make it a government document? “I have to check,” replied the senior bureaucrat. But one wonders what more the OSBA president wants to check when the certificates carry his own signature.

It seems amply clear that the government has allowed OSBA to misuse the emblem. It is all the more shocking that instead of taking action against the wrongdoings of OSBA, the government seems to be shielding the dubious sports body.

One of the major allegations against OSBA is that it has been using a fake registration number. According to information gathered through RTI Act, no organisation having the name of OSBA and bearing registration number, CTC-1226-913 of 1981-1982 has been registered with the office of the IGR Odisha. But OSBA has acquired the affiliation of BAI, using this registration number.

It is also alleged that OSBA has been exploiting the players financially, forcing them to play a certain number of All Odisha Ranking Tournaments. Players are not given permission to compete in All India Tournaments if they fail to participate in state level tournaments. Players and their parents are being banned if they protest. The mother of an upcoming player even lodged an FIR against the OSBA secretary for this reason. But no action was taken.

According to another allegation, funds of OSBA are being transferred to a third-party account in Kerala. Based on these allegations, OSBA has been suspended by the Odisha Olympic Association, the apex sports body of the State, for nearly three years now. One wonders, despite so many allegations, why the State Governing is sheltering OSBA.

According to knowledgeable sources, OSBA has adopted a clever strategy in order to escape disciplinary action. It has secured the protection of the government by offering several benefits as a quid pro quo. Using tournaments to provide publicity mileage to the government, ministers and bureaucrats is a part of this unofficial deal. Observers believe that the government is sheltering OSBA as the head of the sports body is a senior bureaucrat.

Because of the autocratic functioning of OSBA, players honing their skill within the state are unable to achieve national and international success they are capable of. Those who achieved such laurels, they had to train and receive coaching outside the state. Though the State Government spent around Rs 100 crores to build a state-of-the-art indoor stadium for a badminton High Performance Centre, the facility is lying idle for two years now.

Players, parents and lovers of badminton have appealed to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to intervene in the matter and ensure a clean and player-friendly governance of the sport. After all, the Chief Minister was the cynosure of all eyes at the opening ceremony of the Odisha Masters, an international badminton tournament, held recently at the JN Indoor Stadium, Cuttack. He should know what is happening in Odisha badminton. He is also expected to know why the top players of host Odisha skipped the international tournament and those who participated, fell at the first hurdle.
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TOP: Picture of a player participation certificate, carrying the Odisha Government emblem and the signature of the OSBA president.
RIGHT: Photo showing the use of the Odisha Government emblem in a badminton tournament.