Odisha AM/NS India Kho Kho High-Performance Centre nurturing champions of excellence

By Subrat Sarangi

Bhubaneswar, Dec 7 : Eleven athletes from the Odisha AM/NS India Kho Kho High-Performance Centre (HPC) represented Odisha in the Junior National Kho Kho Championship 2024 held in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh from Nov 25-29, 2024.

Giving a stellar performance throughout the tournament, both the Odisha Boys and Girls teams went on to bag therunners up positions in the championship.It is a testimony of the centre’s commitment to nurture Kho Kho talent in the state and help them excel in the national and international arena.

The Odisha Boys Team included Sunil Patra, Kuna Behera, and Yaswant Yadav of Odisha AM/NS India Kho Kho HPC while the Odisha Girls Team included Archana Pradhan, Harapriya Bhuyan, Sabita Murmu, Basanti Nag, Lisarani Raita, Ashika Kujur, K. Ramya, and Subhashree Mallickof the centre. The athletesdemonstrated their dedication and hard work through their performance.

Another highlight of the tournament was Lisarani Raita’s performance, earning her the coveted Best Attacker Award.On winning the award, the 14-year-old, Lisarani said, “Getting recognised at the National level is a dream come true. It shows the support I’ve received from my coaches,my teammates, my family, and AM/NS India. I hope I can build on this success and continue to perform at my best.” Lisarani had joined the Odisha AM/NS India Kho Kho HPC in June 2024 to hone her training and performance.

While the Government of Odisha has created and is maintaining the infrastructure of the Kho Kho High Performance Centre (HPC), AM/NS India isresponsible to operate and manage the HPC and train the Kho Kho players. It will also coach and develop judges for the sport along with their certifications. It aims to identify and nurture amateur Kho Kho talents of Odisha into elite sports professionals.