IN BRIEF

PM launches A’bad-Diu Air Odisha flight

Bhubaneswar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Air Odisha's flight connecting Ahmedabad with Diu under the UDAN scheme. He flagged off Pawan Hans helicopter services from Daman to Diu through a video link. He did this on the sidelines of launching various development projects worth Rs 1,000 crore in Daman and Diu on Saturday.

Woman RI held taking bribe in Jajpur

Cuttack: The Vigilance police on Saturday caught Chhatia Revenue Circle Revenue Inspector (RI) Smitanjali Mohanty red-handed for demanding and accepting bribe of Rs 1,000. She was caught taking the bribe in her office room from one Bhagyadhara Biswal of Amarabati Patna village in Jajpur district for submission of an inquiry report for allotment of a Government land relating to construction of an NGO building.  Her residential house at Mansada village in the district was also searched. She was arrested and forwarded to court.

Ashok Das new Ambassador to Brazil

New Delhi: Senior Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer Ashok Das has been appointed as the new Indian Ambassador to Brazil. Das is the first Odia IFS officer to hold such a crucial assignment in South America. He presently is Additional Secretary (Latin America & Caribbean). Earlier, he was Ambassador to the Republic of Iceland. After schooling in Cuttack, Das graduated in Political Science from the Ravenshaw College in 1980. He completed his MA and MPhil from the Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.

Cricketer Biplab ties nuptial knot with Prachi 

Bhubaneswar: Odisha cricket Biplab Samantray has started his new innings of life by tying the knot with his longtime girlfriend Prachi Sahu here. The wedding ceremony was held in presence of their family members, friends and relatives on Friday. While IPL star Biplab is working at the AG Office in Bhubaneswar, Prachi, an IT professional, works with the Mindtree Solutions in the city.

U Sammilani holds Kantakabi death anniv

Bhubaneswar: The Utkal Sammilani observed the 65th death anniversary of ‘Bande Utkal Janani’ writer Kantakani Laxmikant Mohapatra here on Saturday. Sammilani’s Mancheswar Industrial Estate Branch president Diilip Dashsharma presided over a garlanding ceremony where members garlanded the legendary poet’s statute located at the PMG office. Among others former Assembly Speaker Sarat Kumar Kar, Gurukalayan Mohaptra, Dr Dwarikanath Mohanty, Er Nirakar Mahalik, Gobinda Subuddhi, Ashok Palatasingh, Basanti Tripathi, Dr Shiba Prasad Mishra, Akshaya Kumara Jethy, Diptimayee Nayak, Sidhartha Sankar Garnayak, Subrat Mohapatra, Kshetra Mohan Nayak, Ajay Kanungo, Usharani Mohantyj, Dinakrushna Mohanty and Manoranjanan Mohanty attended.

Blood donation camp held at B’pur Royal College

Brahmapur: A mega blood donation camp was held at the Royal College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences here on Saturday being inaugurated by college Director-cum-Principal Prof PN Murthy. Students numbering 85 and staffs donated blood. The camp was coordinated by Vice-Principal Prof SK Panda, among others.