Odisha Appoints 25 Junior Coaches Across 12 Sports After a Decade

11 Jun 2026, 11:25 by Vinay Kakkad · KalingaTV

The Sports and Youth Services Department in Odisha has hired 25 junior coaches across 12 sports. This initiative represents the first major coaching recruitment drive undertaken by the government in a decade. The last major group of coaches came on board back in 2016.

The drive actually started in 2025, aiming to fill 38 coaching positions for 16 sports. So far, they’ve chosen 25 candidates for this first batch. The state is also making a point to include women in sports leadership: nine of the new coaches are women who’ll join Odisha’s training ranks.

Their new assignments cover a range of disciplines: athletics, hockey, weightlifting, swimming, wrestling, gymnastics, football, basketball, table tennis, fencing, kabaddi, and kho-kho. Among the notable selectees for athletics are, Chinmaya Ranjan Jena, Ashish Kumar Pradhan, Jhilli Barik, Shahid Jamil Rizvi, and Anjana Mukhi. For hockey, Odisha welcomes Sujit Lakra, Prafulla Tirkey, Rajesh Oram, Hrushikesh Lakra, and Reshma Lakra. Weightlifting sees the addition of Sachin Raut, Laxman Chetty, and Kiran Kumari Digal. Additional coaches have been designated to cover the remaining sports.

Officials say this recruitment drive is a core component of a broader, long-term strategy designed to solidify Odisha’s reputation as a premier national sports hub. By bringing skilled coaches to the grassroots level, the government wants to raise the bar for training, boost sports infrastructure, and create clear, steady pathways for local talent to move from small-town playgrounds to the national and international stage.