Odisha cricket suffered an irrepairable loss with the passing away of former first-class player and current state Ranji Trophy selector Rabi Narayan Panda due to COVID-19 at a private hospital in Bhubaneswar yesterday (7th May, 2021) around 9.30 pm. He was 63.

Panda and his wife Sushmita were admitted to the hospital after they tested positive for the virus. The condition of his wife is said to be critical. Panda had lost his son Sourav, a 31-year-old Banker in Mumbai, a few days ago due to liver ailment.

Born on 4th October, 1958, in Puri, Panda had begun his career as a right-handed batsman from Cuttack-based Madan Mohan Cricket Club in 1974. He scored 971 runs in 30 first-class matches, which featured 28 in Ranji Trophy and one each against West Indies and Australia. He has also played one List-A match in the Willis Trophy and three miscellaneous matches in the CK Nayudu Trophy.

Panda was member of the East Zone team that registered a stunning victory over Australia in their three-day match at Barabati Stadium in October 1979. After retiring from Cricket, he worked as a BCCI match referee in the Ranji Trophy Championship in 2004-05.

He also worked as a member of the senior men selection committee of the Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) many times. He was last appointed as Ranji team selector on 26 November, 2020.

Panda also represented the Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) as a council member of different state sports bodies, including the OCA. Apart from this, he was a member of the Steel Plant Sports Board since 2003.

During his stay in Rourkela, Panda had represented the Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) as its employee. During his stint in the RSP, he had worked as Deputy General Manager (Sports and Horticulture) and retired as General Manager (Personnel), Bhilai Steel Plant in October 2018. After retirement, he settled in Bhubaneswar.