Brahmapur: Daily Amrit Bharat Express to Gujarat Launched; Artist Engineer Marks FIFA World Cup in Chalk
Rail connectivity takes center stage in Brahmapur this week as Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw flagged off the Brahmapur-Surat Amrit Bharat Express as a daily service, fulfilling a long-standing commitment to the city and providing affordable links to Gujarat for migrant workers, students, and families. Meanwhile, Brahmapur-born engineer and artist K Vijay Kumar Reddy has gained national attention for chalk miniatures celebrating the FIFA World Cup 2026.
🏢 Daily Brahmapur-Surat Amrit Bharat Express Flagged Off by Union Railways Minister
Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw flagged off the Brahmapur-Surat (Udhna) Amrit Bharat Express as a daily service on the evening of July 7, 2026, at Brahmapur. Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi was also present on the occasion. Minister Vaishnaw stated that the launch of the daily Amrit Bharat Express fulfils a long-standing assurance to the people of Brahmapur. The new daily service will help passengers avail regular and affordable connectivity between Brahmapur and Surat in Gujarat. The service is expected to particularly benefit migrant workers, students, and families travelling between Odisha and Gujarat, a route that has seen sustained demand due to the large number of Odia workers employed in the textile and manufacturing industries of Surat and other Gujarat cities. On future plans for the region, the Railway minister announced that an upcoming train for north Odisha would be part of the Railways' strategy for focused development of rail connectivity across the state. The Brahmapur-Surat service has been a long-demanded route for the city, which serves as a major commercial and administrative centre in southern Odisha's Ganjam district. The simultaneous presence of the Chief Minister at the launch underlined the political significance of rail expansion in Odisha ahead of continued development initiatives in the state. Reported by Odisha Barta on July 7, 2026. [4]
🎬 Brahmapur Engineer Creates Chalk Miniatures to Celebrate FIFA World Cup 2026
K Vijay Kumar Reddy, a young artist and engineer from Odisha's Brahmapur, has created miniature artwork in chalk to celebrate the FIFA World Cup 2026. His works include a football measuring just 0.5 mm and a FIFA World Cup trophy standing one centimetre in height, according to a report by ETV Bharat journalist Samir Kumar Acharya published on July 6, 2026. Reddy's chalk miniatures have drawn attention for their extraordinary precision, given that the pieces are rendered at scales where human hands would typically lack the fine motor control required for such detailed carving. The football and trophy pieces represent a form of micro-sculpture executed entirely in chalk, a medium more commonly associated with blackboard work or street art rather than fine-scale object creation. Reddy is identified as both an engineer and an artist, combining technical precision with creative expression in his miniature work. The FIFA World Cup 2026, taking place across multiple host nations, has inspired artistic responses globally, and Reddy's chalk miniatures represent one such local tribute from southern Odisha. The ETV Bharat report brought Reddy's work to a broader audience, highlighting Brahmapur's participation in national and global cultural moments through the contributions of its residents. The work is a testament to the artistic talent emerging from the city. [2]
Sources: [4] odishabarta.com · [2] ETV Bharat