Bhubaneswar, Oct 22: Odisha’s sporting community was plunged into grief after two promising young athletes, Mrutyam Jayaram Dondapati and Malaya Barik, died in a road accident near Phulnakhara on National Highway 16 late Wednesday night.
The accident reportedly occurred around 10:30 pm on the Cuttack-Bhubaneswar highway. Both athletes were rushed to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, where doctors declared them brought dead.
The tragic loss has sent shockwaves through the state’s athletics fraternity, cutting short the promising sporting journeys of two young talents who had represented Odisha at competitive levels.
Promising Careers Cut Short
Dondapati was regarded as one of India’s emerging sprinting talents. He made a mark at the Indian Open Under-23 Athletics Competition in 2025, winning gold medals in both the men’s 100-metre and 200-metre events.
His achievements had raised expectations of a bright future in Indian athletics, with his performances establishing him as an athlete to watch in the sprinting circuit.
Barik, meanwhile, was a talented 400-metre runner who represented Odisha in state and national-level competitions. He was also undergoing training at the High Performance Centre (HPC) at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar.
Both athletes were trainees at the centre, which supports the development of promising sporting talent. Their untimely deaths have left fellow athletes, coaches and members of the wider sporting community mourning an immense loss.
Chief Minister Majhi Offers Condolences
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed deep sorrow over the deaths, describing the loss of the two athletes as a major setback for Odisha’s sporting fraternity.
In a message posted on X, the Chief Minister conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for strength for them during the difficult period.
He also sought the blessings of Mahaprabhu Shri Jagannath for the departed souls to attain eternal peace.
Sports Minister Suryabanshi Suraj Expresses Grief
State Sports Minister Suryabanshi Suraj also mourned the deaths of the two young athletes.
In his message on X, the minister expressed sadness over the tragic incident and extended his sympathies to the families, praying that Lord Jagannath would give them the strength to endure the irreparable loss.
A Deep Loss for Odisha Athletics
The deaths of Dondapati and Barik have brought profound sorrow to Odisha’s athletics community, where both young men were pursuing their sporting ambitions through dedicated training and competitive participation.
Dondapati’s double gold-medal performance at the national-level Under-23 competition had highlighted his potential, while Barik’s participation in state and national meets reflected his commitment to athletics.
Their deaths have left their families, teammates and coaches grieving the loss of two young lives filled with promise.
As condolences continue to pour in, the tragedy serves as a painful reminder of how suddenly lives and aspirations can be cut short. Odisha has lost two emerging sporting talents whose futures held considerable promise.
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