Ekalabya Puraskar will motivate me to work harder to represent my country in Olympics, says Pratyasa Ray

Promising swimmer Pratyasa Ray has been selected for the prestigious 32nd Ekalabya Puraskar for 2024 for her brilliant performances and outstanding achievements in the sport.

Pratyasa expressed her pleasure after getting selected for the coveted award.

“I am very grateful for being selected for the prestigious and highest sports award of the State. I am grateful before God and thankful to everyone, my parents and coach for their contributions that have helped me reach so far. Ekalabya Puraskar has motivated me to train harder so that I will be able to represent my country in the Olympics,” said an elated Pratyasa who is continuing her post-graduation studies at Utkal University.

“Odisha has won a medal for the first time in the Senior National Aquatic Championship after 76 years and it was a great moment for Odisha swimming. Definitely, we are moving forward and we will never get a chance to look back. I am thankful to my coach and physios for facilitating proper training facilities for us,” she further said.

“I train around eight hours for swimming every day. Despite exhaustion, I devote four hours to study. I am currently continuing my training at HPC and we have good coaching, nutritional and physio facilities there. I have not yet thought about training outside Odisha,” the emerging swimmer signed off.