Odisha’s Sumitra Nayak To Represent India At Asia Rugby Unstoppable Campaign

Odisha’s Sumitra Nayak To Represent India At Asia Rugby Unstoppable Campaign

Odia rugby star Sumitra Nayak has been selected to represent India at the Asia Rugby Unstoppable campaign.

Besides Sumitra, Sandhya Rai of West Bengal and Vahbiz Bharucha of Maharashtra will also be part of the Indian contingent at the forthcoming event.

Rugby India had announced the names of the three “unstoppable women” recently.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expressed his pleasure over the selection of the Odia rugby player for the sports campaign and congratulated her. 

Congratulate Odisha’s rugby star Sumitra Nayak on being selected to represent #India at the @asiarugby #Unstoppable campaign. Wish @RugbyIndia all the best for it. #WomenInRugby https://t.co/fi98wUMbUT

— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) September 20, 2020

Sumitra had created a mark for herself by securing her first international success at the Asia Women’s Rugby Championship in 2019. 

Her final penalty kick against Singapore had helped the Indian Rugby team win the bronze medal at the Asia Women’s Division 1XVs Championship fixture held at Manila on June 22. 

Sumitra, who hails from Jajpur district, among the 10 Indian kids nominated for International Children’s Peace Prize 2017. She showed interest in Rugby when she was enrolled in Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) in 2008. She started practice next year under coach Rudrakesh Jena.

After honing her skills, Sumitra started playing for the state in 2012. She went on to participate in the National Championship, the National School Games and the U-13 Women’s Rugby World Cup. She was instrumental in the bronze win at the Asian Girls Rugby Sevens (U-18) in Dubai in 2016. 

She has also led the under-18 Indian Women’s Rugby team.