Kotpad: The inter-state football tournament was inaugurated today at the local Bhairav Padia, organized by Kotpad Sporting Club. The opening match was played between the Rourkela team and the Balangir team, with Rourkela emerging victorious by 1-0 in a highly competitive match.
A total of eight teams are participating in the tournament: Bargarh, Rourkela, Balangir, Titilagarh, Bhawanipatna, Jharkhand Royal Club, Sunabeda PYC 11, and Sporting Club Kotpad.
The inauguration ceremony was graced by chief guest NAC Chairman M. Shankar Rao. The event also saw the presence of esteemed guests, including former MLA Chandrasekhar Majhi, MLA representative Vinayak Acharya, NAC Vice-Chairperson M. Santoshi, Block Vice-Chairperson Tapan Panigrahi, and other dignitaries like Mani Prasad Pattnaik and Shankar Panda. Representatives from all eight teams, including Santosh Mishra, Muna Khan, Bikash Mohanty, M.D. Salim, Bikash Pattnaik, Taal Hotel Kalu, Raj Mohanty, Samay Marandi, and others, were also present. The Sporting Club’s management committee members played a key role in organizing the event, with club secretary Sitanath Bishwal overseeing the proceedings.
The commentary for the match was provided by M.D. Asu, Prashant Panda, and Hemant Patra. The tournament final is scheduled to take place on Friday, February 28, 2025. The winning team will be awarded ₹45,000, sponsored by Sai Auto Kotpad, while the runner-up team will receive ₹35,000, donated by Tiku Bishoi in memory of his late father, Basudev Bishoi.