Odisha News Today

New Delhi, Aug 20: For decades, the Indian women’s hockey team has lived in the shadow of the men’s side, whose glittering legacy includes eight Olympic gold medals. For the women, however, even a fourth‑place finish at the Tokyo Olympics was celebrated as a breakthrough moment. Yet, since then, they have been searching for that defining achievement that could spark a revolution and permanently alter their standing on the global stage. The journey has been turbulent. Coaches have come and gone, senior players have retired, and the team has undergone transitions. But with the return of Sjoerd Marijne, the squad now boasts greater depth and quality than ever before. Also read: India Beat Pakistan 5–3, Enter Knockout Stage of Hockey World Cup That strength was evident when India matched Olympic silver medallists China stride for stride, and when they brushed aside South Africa with authority. The women’s best performance at a World Cup dates back to 1974, when they reached the semifinals and finished fourth. This year, they have already rewritten part of their story with a commanding 6‑1 victory over South Africa — their biggest winning margin in World Cup history. Now, destiny offers another chance: if India overcome England challenge on Thursday, they will top their pool for the first time ever. What’s Needed To finish first in the group, India must beat England. A draw will still secure progression to the next round, but if China defeat South Africa, India would slip to second place. The one scenario India must avoid is defeat. A loss, coupled with China earning at least a draw, would push India out of the second round entirely, relegating them to classification matches for 9th-16th positions. Head‑to‑Head The rivalry between India and England has produced 11 encounters so far. England hold the edge with five wins, while India have claimed three victories and three matches ended in draws. India’s most recent triumph came in the 2025 Pro League, but England beat them earlier this year during the FIH World Cup 2026 qualifiers in Hyderabad. That result serves as a reminder of the threat England pose. Areas of Concerns Despite the emphatic win over South Africa, flaws remain. India allowed too much space during counter‑attacks, leaving themselves vulnerable. Against higher‑ranked teams, such lapses could prove costly. If India advance, they will face formidable opponents such as hosts and Olympic champions Netherlands and powerhouse Australia, sides capable of punishing even the smallest mistakes. Passing accuracy is another concern. Stray passes have repeatedly led to turnovers and loss of possession. Coach Marijne himself stressed after the South Africa game that “modern hockey is all dependent on passing and individual brilliance won’t always guarantee victory.” For India, the clash against England is perfectly timed. With destiny in their own hands, the women’s team has a chance to step out of the men’s shadow and script their own story on the World Cup stage.

Bhubaneswar, Aug 20: Odisha is bracing for another spell of heavy rain as a fresh low‑pressure area is likely to form over the northwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining north Odisha coast around August 22-23. Meteorologists have warned that this system could trigger renewed rainfall activity across the state. Meanwhile, the depression over north Jharkhand and adjoining southwest Bihar and southeast Uttar Pradesh has weakened into a well‑marked low‑pressure area while moving northwest. As a result, no rainfall warning has been issued for the next 24 hours. Also read: Odisha Unveils WhatsApp‑Based Revenue Grievance Redressal System However, for August 21, a yellow alert has been sounded for Mayurbhanj, Kendujhar and Sundaragada districts, forecasting heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning. The situation remains grim in Baleshwar district, where floodwaters from the Subarnarekha river have inundated large areas. Severe flooding has been reported in Jaleswar, Bhograi, Baliapal and Basta blocks, leaving hundreds of villages marooned. More than 40 panchayats in north Balasore are affected, impacting lakhs of people. Thousands in Bhograi and Baliapal remain trapped in waterlogged areas. To tackle the emergency, ODRAF, NDRF and Fire Services teams have been deployed across four blocks of north Baleshwar. The Subarnarekha river has crossed the danger mark of 10.36 metres, flowing at 11.80 metres near Rajghat by Thursday morning. The administration has set up 15 free kitchens and is distributing dry food to affected families. In Baliapal block alone, over 45,000 people are reeling under floodwaters, with nine SRC boats and three ODRAF teams engaged in rescue operations. Locals, fearing breaches in river embankments, have mounted night‑long vigil along vulnerable stretches. Flood concerns are also rising in Kendrapada district, where rivers including the Baitarani, Kharsrota, Brahmani and Kani are swelling. In Rajkanika block, a 70‑foot breach has developed in the saline embankment at Kaimakanpur in Baraha Domunda panchayat, sparking panic in nearby villages such as Gunthala, Manpur and Domunda. Thousands of hectares of farmland have already been submerged, raising fears of extensive crop loss. With another low‑pressure system looming, authorities are on high alert to manage both rainfall and flood situations across Odisha.