Pratyasa Ray Wins Prestigious 32nd Ekalabya Puraskar Dondapati Mrutyum Jayaram and Tanvi Patri Honored With Special Citations

�Bhubaneswar: In a proud moment for Odisha's sporting fraternity, swimmer Pratyasa Ray was on Sunday named the recipient of the prestigious 32nd Ekalabya Puraskar for 2024.

The Ekalabya Puraskar Committee, comprising distinguished jury members from various fields, unanimously decided to honor Ray during a meeting held on Sunday.

Pratyasa Ray, a promising talent in the field of swimming with a remarkable track record, has been selected for this year’s award in recognition of her exceptional performances. She will receive a cash prize of Rs 7 lakh—an increase from the previous Rs 5 lakh—along with a citation at a ceremony to be held at a later date.

In addition to the main award, sprinter Dondapati Mrutyum Jayaram and badminton player Tanvi Patri will be recognised with special citations for their outstanding contributions on both national and international platforms. Each citation recipient will be awarded a cash prize of Rs 1.5 lakh, up from the previous Rs 1 lakh, along with a citation at the awards ceremony.

The Ekalabya Puraskar, instituted by the charitable wing IMPaCT (Indian Metals Public Charitable Trust) in 1993 and managed by IMFA, India’s leading producer of ferro alloys, is widely regarded as Odisha’s most prestigious sports award. Over the years, it has become synonymous with excellence in sports, drawing comparisons to many national-level accolades.

The award aims to recognise and motivate young sportspersons from Odisha for their remarkable achievements over the preceding two years. A glance at the career trajectories of past awardees reveals that the Ekalabya Puraskar has played a significant role in boosting the morale and careers of the state’s best sporting talents.

Announcing the winners, Baijayant Panda, chairperson of the Ekalabya Puraskar Committee and Trustee of IMPaCT, said, “IMPaCT has been dedicated to recognizing and inspiring excellence in sports, alongside contributing to the overall welfare of society. The Ekalabya Puraskar was instituted to encourage young sportspersons from the state to excel on national and international platforms.”

The award proceedings were organised by Shashank Pattnaik, convenor of the Ekalabya Puraskar Committee.