The 39th National Convention of Sports Journalist Federation of India (SJF), scheduled to be held here at KIIT University from September 14 to 18, received a notable boost with sports bodies of the captal city assuring their whole-hearted support and cooperation for its success.

In an informal meeting, held here at Utkal Karate School yesterday, representatives of around 20 state, district and city sports organisations expressed happiness that Odisha Sports Journalists’ Association (OSJA), the state unit of SJFI, is hosting the prestigious event for the first time in the state.

They assured to provide all logistical support, including infrastructure facility and volunteers for the smooth staging of the National Convention, which would feature competitions in cricket, table tennis, football, basketball and badminton and seminars. They also came up with suggestions on arranging sponsorship for the mega event.

Around 50 representatives including U K Mohanty (Secretary of Odisha Rugby Football Association), Smruti Ranjan Das (Secretary, Odisha State Chess Association and Khurda District Table Tennis Association), Prasanta Nayak (Secretary, Khurda District Basketball Association), Prafulla Kumar Mishra (Vice-president, Unit-VI Athletic Association), Subhasis Patnaik (Secretary, Khordha District Chess Association), Ashok Kumar Mohanty (Former Assistant Sports Director, Govt of Odisha), Hari Prasad Pattanayak (Secretary, Odisha State Karate-do Association &(Founder, Utkal Karate School), Nikunja Mohanty (Saheed Sporting Club), Manoj Kumar Mohapatra (Town Club), Rajesh Kumar Sahoo (Yazdani Club-73) attended the meeting.

OSJA working president Sanatan Pani, secretary Suresh Swain, joint-secretary Sambit Mohapatra and executive members Sarbeswar Mohanty, Debasis Sundaray, Kumar Bimal, Ranjan Ray, Rashmiprava Rath thanked the representatives for their overwhelming support for the ensuing event.
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PHOTO: Representatives of city sports bodies with members of OSJA in Bhubaneswar on July 17, 2016.