Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Wheelchair Rugby team, which clinched the 7th National Wheelchair Rugby Championship 2025, bringing immense pride to the state, will now serve as brand ambassadors for the road safety movement. The team successfully retained their national title with unmatched passion, discipline, and teamwork, qualities that have now made them the face of the ‘Come Home Safe’ campaign. At a felicitation ceremony here, Commerce and Transport department principal secretary Usha Padhee and Transport Commissioner Amitabh Thakur congratulated the players for their remarkable achievement and hailed them as symbols of courage, inclusion and compassion.
Also present at the event were Sports Director Yedula Vijay, representatives from the department of Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (SSEPD), and IIT-Madras, the knowledge partner for the campaign. Speaking on the occasion, Padhee said, “These champions on wheels redefine strength and spirit. Their victory is not just about sport, it’s about resilience, perseverance, teamwork, and empathy. They embody the very essence of our Come Home Safe movement, reminding every citizen that safety, dignity, and care belong on every road.” Transport commissioner Amitabh Thakur praised the team’s discipline and collective strength, stating that their commitment mirrors the department’s mission to promote responsible road behaviour and ensure that every journey ends in safety.
The Odisha Wheelchair Rugby team includes Bikramaditiya Jena, Prasanta Nayak, Sujit Kumar Nanda, Akash Banchhor, Litan Sahoo, Sudhir Malik, Murali Benia, Madhuri Benia, Sitarani Nayak, and Goutam Singh. Many of the players from the team are survivors of major road accidents, yet their indomitable spirit has turned adversity into triumph. Guided by their dedicated coach Surendra Jena, the team continues to dominate the national arena.
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Odisha Para Sports Association secretary Kamalakanta Rath was also present on the occasion, and lauded for his continuous efforts to uplift para-sports in the state and empower athletes to inspire society through their achievements. The Come Home Safe campaign, spearheaded by the Commerce and Transport department, is state’s flagship road safety initiative that envisions a future where every journey concludes in safety, dignity and togetherness.
The campaign promotes empathy-driven awareness, community participation, and behavioural change through activities such as Zero Accident Day (ZAD) and Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) initiatives, implemented in partnership with IIT-Madras. By associating the victorious Odisha Wheelchair Rugby team as brand ambassadors of care, the campaign gains a profoundly human and emotional dimension, blending sporting excellence with social responsibility. Their journey from conquering the court to championing safe roads truly reflects Odisha’s unstoppable spirit.
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