Odisha cheers its girls in Rio

BHUBANESWAR: Hours ahead of the curtain going up on the 31st Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, the state emboldened by the record participants of six women on Friday heightened the sound of cheer. In Bhubaneswar, students in many institutions got on to signature campaigns marking wishes of the people for the success of Indian contingent.
Former Odia Olympian Anuradha Biswal launched an energy drink, 'Druta Soanjeevani', developed by the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of the SOA University.The idea for developing the energy drink had taken roots after Dutee Chand, who will be competing in womens 100 metre race at Rio, visited the university last year, said vice-chancellor Amit Banerjee.
The public mood in Kandhamal, the home district of Srabani Nanda, selected to run in women's 200 metre race at Rio, was quite exciting. Many people visited temples and lit lamps invoking the lords blessings for her success. Holding placards in hand, inmates of sports hostels at Berhampur, Kalinga Stadium and Panposh sports hostel in Sundargarh congregated in their campuses and wished all success to the six sportspersons.