Odisha sprinters dominate Kolkata leg of Indian Athletics Series 2025
Synopsis
Odisha did not just win at Salt Lake Stadium — they owned it. An all-Odisha podium in the men's 200m and a clean sweep of the sprint golds underlines how systematically the state has built its athletics infrastructure. In a series designed to cut travel and raise competitive exposure, Odisha's depth is already the story.
Key Takeaways
Dondapati M. of Odisha won the men's 100m in 10.56 seconds at the Indian Athletics Series Kolkata leg on 15 June .
Odisha swept the men's 200m podium: Astik Pradhan (21.29 secs), Dondapati M. (21.41 secs), Aryan Ekka (21.90 secs).
Mousumi Roy Uttam of Odisha won the women's 100m in 12.06 seconds .
The series is a new AFI initiative comprising 16 regional meets , designed to help athletes earn qualifying marks for the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games .
The series runs from 4 April to September 2025 , opening and closing at Bengaluru .
Odisha athletes swept the sprint events at the Kolkata leg of the Indian Athletics Series, held at Salt Lake Stadium on 15 June, with Dondapati M. claiming the men's 100m title and three Odisha athletes finishing on the 200m podium in a commanding display of state-level depth.
Dondapati M. leads Odisha charge
Dondapati M. clocked 10.56 seconds to win the men's 100m, finishing ahead of Vignesh A. of Madhya Pradesh (10.73 secs) and Shiv Kumar Soren of Jharkhand (10.80 secs). He then backed it up with a second-place finish in the 200m, clocking 21.41 seconds behind compatriot Astik Pradhan, who took gold in 21.29 seconds. Aryan Ekka, also of Odisha, completed an all-Odisha podium sweep in the 200m with a time of 21.90 seconds.
In the women's sprints, Mousumi Roy Uttam of Odisha won the 100m in 12.06 seconds, edging out Swathi Rongali of JSW (12.20 secs) and Tamashree Mishra of West Bengal (12.32 secs).
Gold medals spread across states
Beyond the sprint events, athletes from Railways, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, All India Police, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra also claimed gold medals across field and distance events. Mijo Chacko Kurian of Air Force won the men's 400m in 46.52 seconds, while Punitha Durairajan of Tamil Nadu took the women's 400m in 56.11 seconds. Sanjivani Jadhav of Maharashtra edged out Harmilan Bains of Chandigarh by just 0.27 seconds in a tightly contested women's 5,000m, finishing in 16:47.16.
In field events, Anil Rohidas of All India Police won the men's javelin throw with a distance of 62.55m, while Jiwanmukti Bilung of Odisha claimed the men's long jump with 7.28m. In the Under-20 category, Debashish Adhikary of West Bengal threw 63.17m to win the javelin, and Tipan Das of West Bengal clocked 10.96 seconds to win the U20 men's 100m.
What the Indian Athletics Series aims to achieve
The Kolkata meet is part of a new domestic circuit of 16 regional meets launched by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) this year to provide competitive exposure to athletes closer to home. The series opened at Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru on 4 April and is scheduled to conclude with the 16th stage in September at ABG Foundation in Bengaluru.
Notably, the series serves a dual purpose: with athletes targeting qualifying marks for the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games, the format reduces the need for extensive travel while still providing a competitive benchmark. This is a structural shift in how Indian athletics is developing its pipeline at the domestic level.
Full results at a glance
Men — 800m: Shyam Milan Bind (Uttar Pradesh) 1:49.93; Men — 5,000m: Ravi Gulia (Railway Sports) 14:09.94; Men — Discus throw: Ujjwal (Haryana) 48.57m; Women — Long jump: Rimpi (Assam) 6.28m; U20 Women — 100m: Archita Banerjee (West Bengal) 12.13 secs.
With nine more stages remaining in the series, the Indian Athletics Series is emerging as a key proving ground ahead of the international season.
Point of View
Most visibly through the Kalinga Stadium ecosystem. The AFI's 16-meet domestic series is a structurally sound idea, reducing travel burden while raising competitive frequency, but the real test is whether it produces qualifying marks that hold up at the Asian and Commonwealth Games level. With several meets still to come, the series could reshape how India scouts and develops its next generation of track athletes — if results are tracked and acted upon centrally.
NationPress
9 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the men's 100m at the Indian Athletics Series Kolkata leg?
Dondapati M. of Odisha won the men's 100m at the Kolkata leg of the Indian Athletics Series, clocking 10.56 seconds at Salt Lake Stadium on 15 June. Vignesh A. of Madhya Pradesh (10.73 secs) and Shiv Kumar Soren of Jharkhand (10.80 secs) finished second and third respectively.
What is the Indian Athletics Series?
The Indian Athletics Series is a new domestic circuit of 16 regional meets launched by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) to provide competitive exposure to local athletes across India. It began at Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru on 4 April and will conclude in September 2025 at ABG Foundation in Bengaluru.
Why does the Indian Athletics Series matter for athletes?
The series is designed to help athletes earn qualifying marks for the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games without extensive travel. By holding meets across different regions, AFI aims to raise competitive frequency and reduce logistical burden for athletes from smaller states.
Which states performed well at the Kolkata leg?
Odisha was the standout state, winning the men's 100m, sweeping the men's 200m podium, and taking the women's 100m gold. Athletes from Railways, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, All India Police, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and West Bengal also won gold medals across various events.
Who won the women's 100m at the Kolkata athletics meet?
Mousumi Roy Uttam of Odisha won the women's 100m in 12.06 seconds at Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata, on 15 June. Swathi Rongali of JSW (12.20 secs) and Tamashree Mishra of West Bengal (12.32 secs) finished second and third.
