laxman, Mitrabha to fight for Chess title
Bhubaneswar: Grand Master RR laxman would fight with Fide Master Mitrabha Guha in the final round to receive the 3rd Bhubaneswar All India Open Fide Rating Chess Championship here on Sunday. By the end of eighth round on Saturday, laxman and Mitrabha gathered seven points each and sheared the top place.
IM Himanshu Sharma, Harikrishna A Ra, Hirthickkesh Pr and Ravi Teja S are the four players scored 6.5 points each and placed in the second place. Odisha players WGM Kiran Manisha Mohanty, FM Soumya Ranjan Mishra and five others placed in the third place with six points each.
Baramunda Cup football from March 30
Bhubaneswar: Baramunda Youth Association is all set to host Baramunda Cup Football Tournament at Bramunda Ground from March 30. KIIT, Odisha Police, United Club of Gandarpur Cuttack and Utkal Sporting of Jatani are the four teams would participate in the tournament. The champion team would receive the trophy along with cash award of Rs 10,000 and the runner up team to be richer by Rs 7,000.
Birendra bags player of year award of Hockey India
Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s dependable defender Birendra lakra bagged the Male Player of the Year 2014 award, at the inaugural Hockey India Awards in Delhi on Saturday. Odisha women hockey player Namita Toppo received the upcoming Player of the Year in women U-21 category.
Birendra has been consistent throughout the last year and was a crucial member in all major tournaments. He deserves the award," Roelant Oltmans, high performance director, said, praising the 25-year-old. The team India vice-captain P.R. Sreejesh was also a favourite to win the "Dhruv Batra Award for Player of the Year". But it had a surprise winner in Birendra, who hails from the tribal district of Sundergarh in Odisha that has produced a series of stars in the past.
like Sreejesh, the media shy Birendra was part of the 2014 Asian Games-winning team and the silver medal-winning side in the Commonwealth Games 2014. For the award, Birendra pipped Sreejesh and young Akashdeep Singh, who had moments to cheer by claiming the "Dhanraj Pillay Award for Forward of the Year". Birendra lakra said: "I was hoping that I would get an award today and I am so happy to have been chosen for the Dhruv Batra Award for Player of the Year".
ECoR eves win Chandan Cup Women Football tourney
Bhubaneswar: East Coast Railways emerged champion by defeating Sports Hostel Bhubaneswar by 2-0 goals in the final of the 2nd All India Chandan Cup Women Football Tournament, which concluded at Baramunda Ground here on Saturday, being organised by Odisha Veer Mahasangha in association with Baramunda Youth Association and City Club.
Sasmita Ekka of the winning team draw the first blood in the eighth minute of the play and her-mate lochana Munda double the lead in the 22nd minute. Manisha Panna and lochana Munda of the champion team received the player of the tournament and final award respectively.
The champion team received the trophy along with cash award of Rs 15,000 and the runner up team richer by Rs 10,000. Bishnupriya Das, Sudipta Das, Chitrambada Patra and Dibyani Sukla were the officials who conducted the final match.
Bhubaneswar Athletic Association president Suresh Kumar Routary, Naba Ranjan Patnaik, Kusha Ranjan Patnaik, karateka Valena Valentina, weightlifting coach Padmini Mohanty, corporater Naba Kishor Behera, Biswa Mohan Patnaik, Odia actress Jina Samal, Sonali, lipsa, Manash Mishra, lalit Kumar, OVM president Prakash Srichandan, director Dillip Srichandan were present.
BSNl enters E-league cricket final
Bhubaneswar: In the second semifinal of E-league Cricket here on Saturday, defending champions BSNl beat TCS by 67 runs to enter the final, where they will meet Bhubaneswar Colts on April 5.
After winning the toss, BSNl decided to bat first and put on a good 230 runs in their stipulated 40 overs, courtesy a brisk opening stand of 125 runs between Priyabrata Pradhan and Saumeet Mohapatra and a cameo of 36 runs (24 balls) from Tukuna Sahu later on.
TCS on the other hand, lost wickets at regular intervals in their innings and despite a resolute innings of 78 from Asutosh Das, could manage only 163 runs for the loss of all of their wickets. Tukuna Sahu picked up two wickets and also effected a run out to be adjudged man of the match for his all round display. Brief Score: BSNl 230/9 in 40 Overs (Saumeet Mohapatra 61, Priyabrata Pradhan 55, Tukuna Sahu 36, Bibek Das 5/49, Manoj Choudhury 3/37) beat TCS 163 all out in 38.4 overs (Asutosh Das 78, Sanjaya Satpathy 2/9, Rashmi Ranjan Sahoo 2/18, Tukuna Sahu 2/31).