March 25, 2026 - Page 2 of 2

Odisha Vigilance catches RDE auditor taking bribe in Bhubaneswar

March 25, 2026 by India Verve Desk

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Vigilance on Tuesday apprehended Ambika Prasad Rath, Auditor in the office of the Regional Director of Education (RDE), Bhubaneswar, for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 4,000 from a staff member of a degree college in Khordha district.

According to the Vigilance department, Rath had sought the bribe to carry out service verification and make necessary corrections in pay fixation statements under the Modified Assured Career Progression scheme, enabling the release of the staffer’s pay.

Aggrieved by the demand, the complainant approached Vigilance authorities, following which a trap was laid.

The Vigilance team caught Rath red-handed while accepting the bribe amount, which was subsequently recovered and seized.

Following the trap, simultaneous searches were conducted at his office and residence from a disproportionate assets angle. During the search, officials recovered an additional Rs 1,28,000 from his office drawer and personal possession, suspected to be bribe money collected earlier in the day.

Further searches led to the recovery and seizure of cash amounting to Rs 28.70 lakh.

In connection with the case, Bhubaneswar Vigilance Police Station Case No. 04/2026 has been registered under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018. An investigation is currently underway.

Odisha MPs urge railway minister to resolve Kharagpur RECA land issue

March 25, 2026 by India Verve Desk

Bhubaneswar: A delegation of MPs from Odisha, led by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, on Tuesday met Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and submitted a memorandum seeking resolution of the long-pending land allotment issue of the Railway Employees Cultural Association (RECA) in Kharagpur.

The MPs urged the Railway Ministry to regularise approximately 5,915 square metres of railway land in the New Settlement area of Kharagpur under RECA. The issue has remained unresolved for over three decades. Earlier, on March 8, 1999, MPs from Odisha wrote to the prime minister about the matter, according to an official statement.

On March 15, 1999, late Union Minister Dr. Debendra Pradhan had also requested the then Minister of State for Railways Ram Naik to facilitate the allotment.

The memorandum stated that since 1989, RECA has played a key role in promoting cultural unity and social welfare among railway employees in Kharagpur, a multilingual railway town. The association has also contributed to the promotion of Odia culture through a Jagannath temple.

Internal railway reports indicate that the land has been in long-term use by the association, with infrastructure such as a school, temple, and other public utility facilities already in place. Officials, including the Divisional Railway Manager of South Eastern Railway, have earlier recommended regularisation of the land.

The MPs noted that the continued delay in allotment has affected the developmental activities of the association. They urged the railway minister to treat the matter as a special case and ensure early resolution in the interest of railway employees and the general public.

Pradhan said RECA has contributed beyond religious activities and has played a significant role in strengthening social harmony and national integration. He noted that a permanent solution would benefit railway employees from different regions residing in Kharagpur. The delegation submitted all relevant documents along with the memorandum.

BAI announces squads for Thomas and Uber Cup 2026 Finals

March 25, 2026 by India Verve Desk

New Delhi: The Badminton Association of India (BAI) on Tuesday named the men’s and women’s squads for the 2026 Thomas and Uber Cup Finals. The tournaments will be held in Horsens, Denmark, from April 24 to May 3.

India’s men’s team largely retains the core of the side that secured the country’s first Thomas Cup title in 2022. Singles will feature Lakshya Sen, Kidambi Srikanth, and H. S. Prannoy, while the doubles pairing of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty returns. Young talent Ayush Shetty earned his first call-up after consistent performances on the senior circuit. The men’s team has been drawn in Group A alongside China, Canada, and Australia, according to BAI.

The women’s squad is led by two-time Olympic medallist P.V. Sindhu. Top doubles pair Gayatri Gopichand and Treesa Jolly will also compete, supported by emerging players Unnati Hooda, Devika Sihag, Isharani Baruah, and teenage sensation Tanvi Sharma. The women’s side is in Group A with China, Denmark, and Ukraine.

Selections were made based on the BWF rankings as of March 10 (Week 11). The top five singles players and the top two doubles pairs qualified automatically. Additional inclusions considered team combinations, with experienced doubles specialists Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto earning spots for their versatility.

Tamil Nadu’s Baranica Elangovan breaks national record in women’s pole vault

March 25, 2026 by India Verve Desk

Bhubaneswar: Kalinga Stadium on Tuesday witnessed a new national record on the opening day of the 1st National Indoor Athletics Championships, with Tamil Nadu’s Baranica Elangovan winning the women’s pole vault.

She broke Rosy Meena Paulraj’s national record by clearing 4.22m to claim the first prize.

Kerala’s Blessy Kunjumon finished second with 3.95m, while bronze went to another Keralite, Mariya Jaison, who cleared 3.80m.

World Athletics does not differentiate between indoor and outdoor performances when it comes to pole vault records. The current men’s world record of 6.31m, set earlier this month by Sweden’s Armand Duplantis, was also achieved indoors.

Elangovan’s national record-setting 4.22m jump, however, is subject to ratification by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI).

The opening day also saw thrilling performances across multiple events.

In the men’s long jump, triple jump national record-holder and Asian Games bronze medallist Praveen Chithravel secured silver with a 7.78m effort. Gold went to Sarun Payasingh, who edged him out with a 7.80m jump, while David P claimed bronze with 7.69m. Although Chithravel has competed in the long jump previously, his appearances have been limited, according to olympics.com.

The men’s 800m title was won by Asian Games silver medallist Mohammed Afsal P, who clocked 1:47.86. Kalyan J R finished second in 1:53.98, while Sayan Karmakar took third with 1:56.98.

The day also featured senior men’s and women’s competitions in 3000m, shot put, long jump, 60m hurdles, and 800m, setting the tone for an exciting championship.

The Championships will conclude at Kalinga Stadium on Wednesday.

Earlier, Suryabanshi Suraj, Odisha Minister of Sports & Youth, graced the opening ceremony and was felicitated by Bahadur Singh Sagoo, President of the AFI.