In a significant milestone for Indian sports, Odisha’s Minister of Sports & Youth Services Suryabanshi Suraj presented the ceremonial World Athletics flag to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi at Kalinga Stadium today.
The event underscores Odisha’s preparedness and commitment to hosting the prestigious World Athletics Indoor Championships 2028 in Bhubaneswar.
The flag, symbolising the official handover of hosting rights, was earlier received in Poland by Ravinder Choudhry of the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) and Sports Secretary Bhupendra Singh Poonia. This ceremonial transfer follows the formal announcement by World Athletics President Sebastian Coe during the World Athletics Council meeting in Toruń, Poland, where Odisha was selected to host the global event.
Speaking after receiving the flag, CM Majhi described the moment as “more than an event—it is a moment of legacy.” He added that the flag represents “a symbol of ambition, pride, and a promise to the world that India and Odisha are ready.”
The World Athletics Indoor Championships rank among the most elite events in international track and field, featuring top athletes competing under indoor conditions. Scheduled for March 2028 at the state-of-the-art Kalinga Indoor Stadium, the championships will mark India’s first time hosting a senior global athletics event of this magnitude.
Officials highlighted that the event will showcase India’s growing sporting infrastructure, organisational capabilities, and Odisha’s emergence as a preferred destination for international sports.
The successful hosting is expected to inspire a new generation of Indian athletes and elevate the country’s profile on the global sporting stage.
