Bhubaneswar: Odia women’s rugby player Sumitra Nayak was Sunday selected to represent the Indian national rugby team at the Asia Rugby Unstoppable Campaign.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik congratulated her Sunday evening through social media.
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“Congratulate Odisha’s rugby star Sumitra Nayak on being selected to represent #India at the @asiarugby #Unstoppable campaign. Wish @RugbyIndia all the best for it. #WomenInRugby,” CM Patnai ktweeted.
She is among three rugby stars to have found a place in the list for the upcoming sports event. Rugby India had announced the names of three women in rugby who will represent India at the prestigious international sports event.
Along with Sumitra Nayak from Odisha, other rugby players like Sandhya Rai from West Bengal and Vahbiz from Maharashtra have been shortlisted to participate in the tournament.
Notably, Sumitra achieved her first international success at the Asia Women’s Rugby Championship in 2019. It was her final penalty kick against Singapore which helped the Indian women’s team to bag the bronze medal at Manila.
A native of Jajpur district, Sumitra took to rugby in 2008. Guided by her coach Rudrakesh Jena, Sumitra represented Odisha in 2012. She went on to participate in the National Championship, National School Games and Under-13 Women’s Rugby World Cup.
She played a major role in the Indian team’s bronze-winning effort in the Asian Girls Rugby Sevens (U-18) in Dubai in 2016. Two years later, she led the India Under-18 Indian women’s rugby team.
Sumitra was among 10 Indian youths to be nominated for the International Children’s Peace Prize in 2017.
PNN
