Bhubaneswar: Odia Hockey player Namita Toppo, who has brought laurels for Odisha and country, will receive the prestigious Ekalabya Puraskar for the year 2020. The annual award is instituted by IMPaCT, the charitable wing of Indian Metals & Ferro Alloys (IMFA).
The Ekalabya Committee comprising jury members unanimously picked Toppo for the prestigious honour after a meeting on Sunday.
Namita Toppo, an International Hockey player, has represented India in almost all international tournaments including Rio Olympics 2016. An experienced midfielder, Namita is credited to spearheading numerous wins for Indian national hockey team at international level.
Toppo will get a cash award of Rs.5 lakh along with a citation at the Ekalabya Puraskar award ceremony which will be held under the strict observance of Covid-19 guidelines.
Besides Ms. Toppo, two other sportspersons-weightlifter Sneha Soren and International Badminton player Rutaparna Panda will also be felicitated on the occasion.
Both will receive a cash prize of Rs. 50,000 each along with citations. The date for Ekalabya Puraskar function will be announced later.
Announcing the names of the award winners, Shri Baijayant Panda, former MP (Lok Sabha) and Trustee of IMPaCT said, “IMPaCT has been in continuous pursuit to recognize and foster excellence in sports and Literature besides contributing to the general welfare of the society at large. Ekalabya Puraskar is instituted to encourage and inspire young sports persons to perform excel at national and international arena.”
(Edited By Suryakant Jena)