Bhubaneswar: As many as six para fencers from Odisha have been selected for the Indian team for the Commonwealth Para Fencing Championship, which is scheduled to be held in Lagos, Nigeria, from August 9 to 13. Out of the total 13 players representing India, six are from Odisha, making it the highest representation from any state.

The six players selected from Odisha are Rakhal Kumar Sethi, V. Ramesh Rao, Pabitra Sahu, Kumari Malati Panaure, Rudranarayan Behera, and Om Prakash Behera. They will compete in the Foil and Epee events, both individually and in team competitions. They will aim to bring glory to both India and Odisha on the international stage.

Players from various Commonwealth nations will participate in the championship. Along with the Indian contingent, Bela Jaiswal from Odisha will travel to Nigeria as the Team Manager, while Jijo Nidhi from Tamil Nadu will serve as the coach.

Kamalakant Rath, President of the Para Sports Association of Odisha, and Sunil Pradhan, Secretary of the association, also extended their heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to the six para fencers from Odisha and the entire Indian team.

The selection of six para fencers from Odisha at the same time is being seen as a major achievement for the state's para fencing sector. Sports enthusiasts are hopeful that the players will deliver impressive performances at the championship and bring laurels to both the country and the state.