The mascot of the 2nd National Senior Para Archery Championship

Bhubaneswar: The mascot of the 2nd National Senior Para Archery Championship ‘Rani’, a domestic bear was unveiled here on Wednesday. To protect the bear species and spread the massage of human-animal relationship Rani was made the mascot of the championship, said organizer Bishnu Charan Sahu.

Paralympics Archery Association will organize the four-day long national championship at Kalinga Stadium here from Thursday. As many as 200 participants from 14 states have given their consent to participate in the championship. The players will participate in senior men and women categories in the 30 meter and 50 meter events. Rani was the domestic bear of a Keonjhar tribal, now residing at Nandankanan Zoo.

Notably, Rama Singh Munda, (35), found a three-day-old bear cub abandoned in the forest and brought it to his home. Both father and his five-year-old daughter Golki daughter named the cub Rani and made her a part of their family. However, the forest officials forcibly took Rani away and handed her over to the Nandankanan Zoo near Bhubaneswar. Ram was arrested and sent to Keonjhar jail for violating the Wildlife Protection Act. Soon after being released from jail, Ramsingh Munda along with his daughter travelled 300 km to the Nandankanan Zoo to meet Rani.