Bhubaneswar: Two promising young athletes, Mrutyam Jayaram Dondapati and Malaya Barik, died in a late-night road accident near Nakhara on the Kataka-Bhubaneswar National Highway, leaving Odisha’s athletics fraternity in shock.
According to reports, the accident occurred around 10:30 pm. Both athletes were rushed to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Kataka, where doctors declared them dead on arrival.
Jayaram was emerging as one of India’s fastest under-23 sprinters, while Malaya was a promising 400-metre runner. Both were undergoing professional training at the Kalinga Stadium High-Performance Centre in Bhubaneswar.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi took to X to express grief over their deaths.
“Deeply saddened by the tragic demise of athletes Mrutyam Jayaram Dondapati and Malaya Barik in a road accident. Their untimely passing is a profound loss to Odisha’s sporting fraternity.
“My heartfelt condolences to their bereaved families. May Mahaprabhu Shri Jagannath grant them strength in this difficult time and eternal peace to the departed souls,” he wrote.
Deeply saddened by the tragic demise of athletes Mrutyam Jayaram Dondapati and Malaya Barik in a road accident. Their untimely passing is a profound loss to Odisha’s sporting fraternity.
My heartfelt condolences to their bereaved families. May Mahaprabhu Shri Jagannath grant them strength in this difficult time and eternal peace to the departed souls.
— Mohan Charan Majhi (@MohanMOdisha) October 22, 2026
Their deaths have sent shockwaves through the athletics community, with coaches, fellow athletes and sports enthusiasts expressing grief and extending condolences to the bereaved families.
The tragedy has cut short the promising careers of two young athletes who aspired to make their mark in Indian athletics.
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