TNI Bureau: Young weightlifting prodigy Jyotsna Sabar from Odisha has been conferred the prestigious Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar by President of India Smt Droupadi Murmu, bringing pride to the state and the nation.

Hailing from a remote tribal village in Gajapati district, Jyotsna has scripted an inspiring journey to the national and international stage through her outstanding achievements in weightlifting. She holds the Asian Youth Record in the Women’s 40 kg category and has won medals at the World, Asian and Commonwealth Championships.

Jyotsna trains at the Weightlifting High Performance Centre (HPC) and is a student of Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS), Bhubaneswar. Her rise has been widely hailed as a symbol of the immense potential of young athletes from tribal and rural backgrounds.

Congratulating her on the achievement, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi praised Jyotsna’s determination and perseverance, stating that her success is an inspiration for the youth of the state. He reaffirmed the government’s support for her future sporting endeavours.

Manas Muduli also congratulated Jyotsna, lauding her dedication and hard work, and said her success would motivate many aspiring sportspersons.

Expressing happiness over the honour, KIIT and KISS Founder Dr Achyuta Samanta congratulated Jyotsna and described her journey from a small tribal village to global sporting platforms as a shining example of discipline, commitment and self-belief. He noted that her ability to balance academics at KISS with rigorous training at the Odisha–TENVIC Weightlifting High Performance Centre reflects the importance of proper guidance and support.

Dr Samanta reaffirmed that KIIT and KISS would continue to extend full support to Jyotsna as she works towards her Olympic dream, expressing confidence that she will achieve greater milestones in the future.