Odisha Government boosts grassroots sports with 25 junior coach appointments after decade-long gap

In a major boost to sports coaching facilities, the Odisha Government’s Sports and Youth Services Department has provisionally announced the appointment of 25 junior coaches across 12 sports disciplines, making the first such recruitment in a decade. Launched in 2025, the recruitment campaign aimed to fill 38 vacant coaching roles across 16 disciplines and has so far led to the appointment of 25 candidates, including 9 women coaches.

The freshly appointed coaches will work in athletics, hockey, swimming, weightlifting, wrestling, gymnastics, football, basketball, table tennis, fencing, kabbadi and kho-kho. The initiative by the Odisha Government’s Sports and Youth Services Department aims to provide greater access to quality coaching and identify potential talent at the grassroots level.

Among the appointed junior coaches are Chinmaya Rajan Jena, Ashish Kumar Pradhan, Jhilli Barik, Shahid Jamil Rizvi and Anjana Mukhi for athletics. Sachin Raut, Laxman Chetty and Kiran Kumari Digal have been appointed coaches for weightlifting.

While Sujit Lakra, Prafulla Tirkey, Rajesh Oram, Hrushikesh Lakra and Reshma Lakra will be hockey coaches. The department has also appointed coaches for disciplines including football, basketball, gymnastics and other sports.

Odisha Government has stated that the recent appointment aligns with the broader strategy to boost Odisha's sports infrastructure and position the state as a key sports hub. This update complies with ongoing ambitions to expand sports development, talent identification, and training programmes across Odisha.

Sportscapeviews the appointment of 25 junior coaches by the Odisha government’s Sports and Youth Services department as a great initiative towards providing high-class coaching facilities at the grassroots level and building a strong ecosystem in the state.