Sports legends including hockey Olympian Dilip Tirkey, former India woman hurdler Anuradha Biswal, former India woman football captain Shradhanjali Samantray, former Test cricketer Debasis Mohanty, star sprinters Dutee Chand, Amiya Mallick, para-shuttler Pramod Bhagat, chess queen Padmini Rout, woman karateka Valena Valentina, along with renowned singers Mahaprasad Kar and Nazia Alam, and cine stars Archita Sahoo and Bhumika Dash amongst others came together in this congregation organized by Department of Sports and Youth services.

Odisha Sports and Youth Services Minister, Tusharkanti Behera, Secretary Sports, Vishal K Dev, Director Sports, R Vineel Krishna, officials from the Sports Department, and young athletes from the State sports fraternity participated in this programme to instill and inspire a sense of pride and commitment to the cause. The gathering followed appropriate social distancing and related protocols.

Similarly, over 200 cricketers, along with staff of Odisha Olympic Association and Odisha Cricket Association recite the state song at the historic Barabati Stadium in Cuttack at the same time. Prominent among the cricketers were: Biplab Samantray, Suryakant Pradhan, Arvind Singh, Rajesh Dhupar, Subham Nayak, Madhusmita Behera, Rajasree Swain, Banalata Malick, Subhra Nirjharini Swain, Sweety Beura & many more cricketers.
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TOP: Eminent sportspersons and renowned cine artists paying respect to Covid-19 warriors at Kalinga Hockey Stadium, Bhubaneswar on 30 May, 2020.
RIGHT: Odisha cricketers honouring Covid-19 warriors at Barabati Stadium, Cuttack on 30 May, 2020.