State Sports & Youth Services Minister Sudam Marndi, Archery Association of India (AAI) Secretary General Anil Kamineni, State Sports & Youth Services Department Commissioner-cum-Secretary Vishal Kumar Dev and ST & SC Development, Minorities & Backward Classes Welfare Department Commissioner-cum-Secretary Surendra Kumar are other guests expected to grace the opening ceremony.

This is the second time that Odisha is hosting the Sub-junior National Championship. Odisha emerged overall champions when the event was staged for the first time in the state at Cuttack in 2003. This time the host state is looking forward to reap a rich haul of medals from its 19-member squad, which underwent a two-week-long training camp at Cuttack.

Speaking on preparations, OAA secretary Sradhananda Das said the state body was leaving no stone unturned to make championship a grand success. ``Despite being asked to play host at a short notice, we have made top-class arrangements,’’ he assured.

``The championship is sure to bring to limelight scores of new talents, who would be the future archery stars of the country. With capital city Bhubaneswar being the venue, the sub-junior national championship is going to get nation-wide attention. The event would also serve as catalyst for popularization of  archery in Odisha,’’ the OAA secretary signed off.

ODISHA SQUAD:
Boys’ Compound Round: Kishore Kumar Gond, Purna Chandra Majhi, Ladhaiya Murmu, Kusha Naik (All from SAI-HAL, Sunabeda).
Boys’ Recurve Round: Suna Santa, Tuna Kurmi, Raghunath Khosla (All from SAI-HAL, Sunabeda); Arjun Khara (Keonjhar).
Girls’ Recurve Round: Chandamani Munda, Lalita Khandapatra, Ashalata Das (all from KISS, Bhubaneswar)
Boys’ Indian Round: Surendra Murmu, Jitrai Ho, Rajesh Durua (all from SAI, Sundargarh); Surjyakanta Karji Majhi (Sports Hostel, Phulbani).
Girls’ Indian Round: Salgey Soren, Golap Naik, Champa Hanhaga (All from SAI, Sundargarh); Sakuntala Sabar (KISS, Bhubaneswar).
Coaches: Rupesh Singh; Rajesh Hasdak, Ashok Ghose, Teklal Purrey. Manager: P Raja.
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TOP: Players and coaches of Odisha squad in Bhubaneswar on March 17, 2017.
RIGHT: Odisha archers at a practice session in Bhubaneswar on March 17, 2017