The Business Bytes
TBB BUREAU
BHUBANESWAR, DEC 27, 2023
Tennis star Debasis Sahoo on Wednesday received the prestigious 31st Ekalabya Puraskar instituted by IMPaCT, the charitable wing of Indian Metals & Ferro Alloys Limited (IMFA).
Sahoo was presented with a citation, trophy along with a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh at a function here. He was honoured for his performance at national and international levels from April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2023.
Besides, athlete Bapi Hansda and weightlifter Jyoshna Sabar were also felicitated for remarkable performances in various international and national events in their respective fields. Both Hansda and Sabar received a cash award of Rs 1 lakh each along with citations.
Legendary cricketer Madan Lal graced the function as the Chief Guest and former Ranji Trophy player and NCA Coach (BCCI) attended as the Guest of honour as the Guest of honour, and awarded the winners. Ekalabya Puraskar Committee-2023 Chairman Baijayant Panda was also present along with the jury members.
The Ekalabya Puraskar has been instituted by IMPaCT, the social wing of IMFA, which has been promoting literature, sports, the arts, culture and other socially meaningful activities in the state for decades.
The Ekalabya Puraskar, an annual award given to young upcoming sportspersons, has come a long way to be recognized as the most prestigious sports award of Odisha, drawing parallels with many national awards. It has acted as a catalyst for sportspersons to excel both at national and international level.
