Jamshedpur: Former Ichagarh MLA Sadhu Charan Mahto (48) passed away at R N Tagore Hospital in Calcutta on Tuesday after a prolonged illness. He was battling kidney disease for the past one year.

A pall of gloom descended at Adityapur in adjoining Seraikela- Kharsawan district where he used to stay. The news of his death came as a shock in the political circle.

Mahto, a BJP leader former legislator lost to JMM's Savita Mahto in the last assembly polls held in 2019. Union tribal affairs minister Arjun Munda, Ranchi MP Sanjay Seth, Jamshedpur MP Bidyut Baran Mahto and former state BJP spokesperson Amarpreet Singh Kale condoled the death.

Family sources said his body will be brought to Jamshedpur tomorrow. His funeral procession will be taken out from his ancestral house in Adityapur. The former legislator was undergoing treatment at the Calcutta-based hospital for the last few months.

Pinaki Mazumdar

Renowned badminton administrator gets national coach job

K. Prabhakar Rao The Telegraph

Jamshedpur: Veteran shuttle administrator from the state K. Prabhakar Rao has been appointed coach-cum-manager of the national badminton squad for the 4th Asian Para Games to be held in Manama, Bahrain from December 2 to 6.

Thirty two Asian countries, including hosts Bahrain, Bhutan, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq and Japan, will be part of the Games. Besides badminton, other sporting events include athletics, powerlifting, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, wheelchair basketball and boccia. Around 800 para athletes in the under-20 age group will be showcasing their talent during the course of the Games.

Jamshedpur-based Rao, secretary of Jharkhand Badminton Association (JBA) and joint secretary of Badminton Association of India (BAI), said 16 shuttlers (boys and girls), one head coach (Gourav Khanna), 2 coaches and as many physios will be heading for Bahrain (from New Delhi) on November 28. "Classification of shuttlers will be done after we land in Bahrain before the competition begins," he added.

Rao was also coach and manager of the Indian squad at the recently concluded Paralympics Games in Tokyo, Japan. India claimed three medals, including a gold, at the Paralympic Games.

A seasoned sports administrator, Rao said he would try his best to guide the para shuttlers. "It's an honour for me to be heading with the national squad as coach-cum-manager for a big-ticket event," he added.

Kumud Jenamani

Picnic for mentally challenged and hearing impaired children held at Dhanbad Club

Special children (students) of Jeevan Jyoti School enjoying their picnic Gautam Dey

Dhanbad: Around 50 mentally retarded and hearing impaired students of the Jeevan Jyoti School, operated by Inner Wheel Club, Dhanbad had a blast on the lush green playground of Dhanbad Club in the heart of town as they danced to tune of poplar Bollywood numbers, enjoyed workout on swings, sliders and sea saws and later relished the delicious food.

The occasion was the annual picnic organised by Rotary Club Dhanbad in Association with Dhanbad Club Limited for the students. Talking to The Telegraph Online on the sidelines of the function, Aparna Das, Principal who also accompanied the students along with other teachers besides the office bearers of Dhanbad Club and Rotary Cliub Dhanbad said , “The outing for the students was organised today as part of an annual picnic hosted every year on the occasion of the Children’s Day but since due to inclement weather we could not organise the function this year on November 14. We have around 105 students and we informed the parents about the function in advance and around 50, i.e half of the students took part at the event today.”

Praduman Choubey