Odisha tribal girl inducted in national baseball team

Reported by Ranjan Rath
Rayagada, Mar 10

Prashanti Huika, a poor tribal girl of Odisha’s Rayagada district, has been inducted in the national team to participate in the International Baseball Championships to be held at Thailand and Indonesia this month.

The 13-year-old girl of Manisinga village under Kolonara block and a student of class VIII left for Kolkata by train with her coach Bijay Mishra on Monday evening.

Prashanti, who made her debut in the National Baseball Championship at Bhopal in 2013, had displayed her immense skill in National Baseball Championship at Imphal last year.

She had joined the selection camps in Mumbai, Indore and Amritsar last month for national and international events and was subsequently inducted in the national team on the basis of her performance.

Prashanti had a passion for baseball and softball since her childhood. Later, she began her practice under her coach Bijay Mishra.

However, some local sportsmen have urged for financial assistance for this budding talent.

“Considering that Prashanti hails from a poor family with her father Baraja Huika and mother Majhimani Huika are daily wage labourers, the state government should provide all possible assistance to her. Though some local industries have provided financial assistance to Prashanti, it is like a drop in the ocean”, said Purna Chandra Rath, a well-known sportsman of the district.