Bhubaneswar: Two promising young athletes from Odisha were killed in a road accident on the Cuttack-Bhubaneswar National Highway 16 near Phulnakhara late Wednesday night.
The deceased have been identified as Mrutyam Jayaram Dondapati and Malaya Barik.
According to reports, the accident occurred around 10:30 pm on Wednesday night. Both were immediately rushed to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Kataka, where doctors declared them brought dead.
Dondapati and Barik were trainees at the High Performance Centre (HPC) at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar. The double tragedy has sent shockwaves through Odisha’s sporting community, which has described it as an irreparable loss.
Notably, Dondapati was one of India’s promising young sprinters. He won gold medals in both the Men’s 100m and 200m at the Indian Open U-23 Athletics Competition in 2025. Malaya Barik was a talented 400m runner who represented Odisha at state and national-level competitions.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi condoled their deaths and said the state has lost two rising talents. Taking to X, Majhi 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.
State Sports Minister Suryabanshi Suraj also expressed grief over the incident. In a post on X, he wrote: “The tragic news of the untimely demise of Odisha’s young sports icon Mrutyam Jayaram Dondapati and Malaya Barik in a road accident yesterday has left us deeply saddened. May Lord Jagannath provide solace to their family members during this hour of grief and grant them infinite strength.”
