Woman hockey Olympian Namita Toppo will be conferred with the 28th Ekalabya Puraskar for 2020. The Ekalabya Committee members today unanimously chose Toppo for the annual award instituted by IMPaCT, the charitable wing of Indian Metals & Ferro Alloys (IMFA). She will receive a cash award of Rs 5 lakh along with a citation.

Besides Namita, two other sportspersons will also be felicitated on the occasion. They are weightlifting international Sneha Soren and badminton international Rutaparna Panda. Both will receive Rs 50,000 each along with citations.

An experienced midfielder of the Indian women hockey team, Namita has 163 caps to her name. She represented the country in several international tournaments, including the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Born on June 4, 1995 in Jauramala village of Sundargarh district, helped India win one silver, one bronze in Asian Games and one gold in Women Asia Cup. A Sports Hostel, Panposh, Namita also participated in the 2018 Women Hockey World Cup in London.

The date of the award ceremony, to be held under COVID-19 guidelines, will be announced later. Instituted in the year 1993, Ekalabya Award is given every year to young sportspersons of Odisha in recognition of their achievements in the preceding two years.

ROLL OF HONOUR:
2020 (28th): Namita Toppo (Hockey). Citations: Sneha Soren (Weightlifting); Rutaparna Panda (Badminton).
2019 (27th): Jhili Dalabehera (Weightlifting). Citations: Jabamani Tudu (Football), Namita Toppo (Hockey).
2018 (26th): Lilima Minz (Hockey). Citations: Jhili Dalabehera (Weightlifting), Rutaparna Panda (Badminton).
2017 (25th): Dipsan Tirkey (Hockey). Citations: Amiya Kumar Mallick (Athletics), Deep Grace Ekka (Hockey)
2016 (24th): Srabani Nanda (Athletics). Citations: Dipsan Tirkey (Hockey), Deep Grace Ekka (Hockey).
2015 (23rd): Dutee Chand (Athletics). Citations: Pramila Kirsani (Weightlifting), Saina Salonika (Chess).
2014 (22nd): Purnima Hembram (Athletics). Citations: Rasanara Parbin (Cricket), Manjula Xess (Rowing).
2013 (21st): Shriyanka Sadangi (Shooting). Citations: Dutee Chand (Athletics), Achyutananda Sahu (Weightlifting).
2012 (20th): Debasish Das (Chess). Citations: Pramila Kirsani (Weightlifting), Srabanin Nanda (Athletics).
2011 (19th): Pratima Puhana (Rowing). Citations: Pramila Prava Minz (Rowing), Sasmita Malik (Football).
2010 (18th): Kiran Manisha Mohanty (Chess); Debasish Das (Chess), Pratima Puhana (Rowing)
2009 (17th): K Ravi Kumar (Weightlifting). Citations: Kiran Manisha Mohanty (Chess), Amiya Kumar Mallick (Athletics).
2008 (26th): Padmini Rout (Chess). Citations: Srabani Nanda (Athletics), Rohit Kumar Swain (Rowing).
2007 (15th): Mamata Jena (Rowing)
2006 (14th): Pravasini Dwivedy (Rowing)
2005 (13th): Subhadra Pradhan (Hockey)
2004 (12th): William Xalxo (Hockey)
2003 (11th): Ignace Tirkey (Hockey)
2002 (10th): Prabodh Tirkey (Hockey)
2001 (9th): Rashmi Ranjan Parida (Cricket)
2000 (8th): Anuradha Biswal (Athletics)
1999 (7th): Lazarus Barla (Hockey)
1998 (6th): Debasis Mohanty (Cricket)
1997 (5th): Sanjay Raul (Cricket)
1996 (4th): Dillip Kumar Tirkey (Hockey)
1995 (3rd): Shiv Sundar Das (Cricket)
1994 (2nd): Gloria Dung Dung (Hockey)
1993 (1st): Rachita Panda (Athletics)
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PHOTO: Undated file photo of woman hockey Olympian Namita Toppo.