Dutee Chand, a two-time Olympian and the first Indian to win gold in a 100m event at the 2019 Summer Universiade in Naples, has voiced her dissatisfaction towards the Odisha Higher Education Department. “It is a shame that just because a student is studying in a private university, they are denied the opportunity to participate in sports. This decision will crush the dreams of many talented sportspersons,” she said in an Instagram post on Thursday. Her statement comes in response to a notification issued by the Odisha Higher Education Department in February 2025, outlining guidelines for the Odisha Inter-University Competition. One of the points on the notification stated, “Participation of private universities shall not be allowed in the above event.” Originally intended to promote extracurricular activities among students in higher education institutions, the state-level competitions are currently limited to students from state universities. “It is a shame that just because a student is studying in a private university, he/she cannot participate in sports because the dreams of many talented sportspersons will remain unfulfilled,” her post …