Odisha Sprinters Mrutyam Jayaram Dondapati and Malaya Barik Die in Road Accident

The crash came just three days after both men raced at the 6th Indian Open U23 Athletics Competition in Jaipur. There, Jayaram won 100m bronze and 200m silver, and Barik ran a lifetime best of 48.23 in the 400m. This page covers what happened, their careers, their last races and the tributes from Odisha and beyond.

What happened: the road accident near Nakhara

According to reports, four people, three athletes and a swimming coach, were travelling to Cuttack on two two-wheelers. Jayaram and Barik were on the motorcycle that crashed. Astik Pradhan, the Odisha quartermiler who won 400m bronze in Jaipur, was reportedly on a scooter about 50 metres behind them with the other two members of the group.

One report says the rider lost control and the motorcycle hit a road divider; this has not been officially confirmed. Local residents took both athletes to SCB Medical College and Hospital, where doctors declared them dead on arrival.

Reports differ on where the group was going. Some say a Sambalpuri melody orchestra in Cuttack, while others mention a jatra or the city’s festivities.

Mrutyam Jayaram Dondapati: one of India’s fastest U23 sprinters

Born on 12 January 2005 and from the Bhawanipatna area of Kalahandi, Jayaram trained at the Odisha Reliance Foundation Athletics High Performance Centre in Bhubaneswar. He won national titles from youth level upwards, and twice helped India to Asian U20 relay medals.

His breakthrough came at the 2023 Khelo India Youth Games in Bhopal, where he won the 100m in 10.53 to break the Games record. A year later he ran on the Indian 4x100m team that won Asian U20 bronze in Dubai in a national U20 record of 40.01. For his full record, see our Mrutyam Jayaram Dondapati athlete profile.

World Athletics lists him as a two-time Asian U20 bronze medallist, a World University Games bronze medallist and a two-time national champion.

Malaya Barik: Odisha’s young quartermiler

Born on 1 April 2006, Malaya Barik came from Attabira in Bargarh district. He trained under Siba Mishra, who also coached Dutee Chand, and joined HPC Odisha a few months ago after the Open Nationals. He lived at the sports hostel at Kalinga Stadium.

Malaya Barik was also a regular in Odisha’s 4x400m relay squad, and was expected to run for the state again in the coming weeks.

Their last races: the Indian Open U23 in Jaipur

Both athletes ran their final races at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium from 16 to 18 October. The AFI detailed result book shows every round.

Jayaram: a lifetime best and two medals

In the 100m, Jayaram won his heat in 10.40, but the wind was +3.1 m/s, so the time was not legal. He then won semi-final 3 in 10.41 into a −0.3 m/s headwind. That is his official personal best.

The final was just as close. Rushiprasad Desai won in 10.35, while three men crossed in 10.46. On thousandths, Savin Thingalaya took silver in 10.451, Jayaram bronze in 10.455 and Abhay Singh fourth in 10.459.

In the 200m, he improved in every round, from 21.47 in the heats to 21.21 in the semi-final. In the final, he finished in 21.04, three hundredths behind Yuvaraj E of Tamil Nadu, for silver.

Barik: a breakthrough 48.23

Barik ran 48.23 for fifth in heat 4 of the 400m, a race won by his teammate Astik Pradhan in 46.60. It was the fastest time of his career, almost a second quicker than his 49.33 in Ranchi in April. In semi-final 3, he finished sixth in 49.12.

For every medallist from the meet, see our Indian Open U23 Day 1 report and the Indian athletics results page.

Tributes to Jayaram and Barik

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said on social media that he was deeply saddened, adding: “Their untimely passing is a profound loss to Odisha’s sporting fraternity.”

Sports Minister Suryabanshi Suraj called them young sporting icons of the state, and the Department of Sports and Youth Services expressed its grief on X. The Leader of the Opposition also described the news as heartbreaking.

A heavy loss for Odisha’s sprint group

Odisha has become one of India’s strongest sprint states, and Jayaram was at the centre of that rise. He shared relay medals with Mahendra Santa, who also ran in Jaipur, and he trained alongside a group that includes Astik Pradhan and Sabita Toppo, the women’s 100m hurdles champion in Jaipur.

Barik, meanwhile, had just begun to close the gap on that group. His 48.23 in Jaipur showed how much he had improved since joining the High Performance Centre.

We extend our deepest condolences to their families, coaches and teammates.