The Government of Odisha conferred the Biju Patnaik Sports Award for the year 2020 on eminent hockey coach Kalu Charan Choudhury, para-badminton coach Siba Prasad Das and India men hockey team defender Amit Rohidas today. Sports and Youth Services Minister, Tusharkanti Behera handed over the awards in a function held at Lok Seva Bhawan, Bhubaneswar.

But the Biju Patnaik Sports Award for Best Contribution to Promotion of Sports & Games and Excellence in Sports Journalism were not given this year. In fact, the award for Excellence in Sports Journalism was not given for the third successive year.

Sundargarh hockey star Rohidas, who earned his 100 caps at the Tokyo Olympics and was hailed a phenomenal first rusher, received the Biju Patnaik Sports Award for Outstanding Performance in Sports and Games. The award carried a citation and a cash award of Rs 2 Lakhs.

Odisha government hockey coach Kalu Charan Choudhury, who has produced many national and international players, received the Biju Patnaik Award for Lifetime Achievement in Promotion of Sports and Games. He received a citation and cash award of Rs 3 lakhs. Biju Patnaik Sports Award for Excellence in Coaching went to Shiba Prasad Das who received cash award of Rs 1 lakh and citation.

Congratulating the award winners in a video message, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said, “I extend my warm wishes to all of you on the occasion of the birth anniversary of the legendary hockey player Major Dhyan Chand, celebrated as the National Sports Day. The performance of the Indian Hockey Teams at the Olympics, is a true tribute to the legendary hockey player Major Dhyan Chand.”

“Hockey has a special place for sports in Odisha. I am happy that the lifetime achievement award has been given to Shri Kalu Charan Chaudhry, hockey coach and the outstanding performance award has been given to Shri. Amit Rohidas. Congratulations to both of you. It is a tribute to Odisha’s players and coaches, who have contributed to Hockey development in the state.”

“I would like to congratulate Shri Shiba Prasad Das for the award for excellence in coaching. His contribution towards Pramod Bhagat is well known. We are confident that Pramod Bhagat will make us all proud at the Tokyo Paralympics.”

The awards were given  in the presence Odisha Hockey Promotion Council Chairman Dillip Tirkey, State Welfare Youth Board Executive Chairman Bijaya Nayak and State Sports Secretary R Vineel Krishna.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PHOTO: Biju Patnaik Sports Award recepients Siba Prasad Das (Extreme left), Kalu Charan Choudhury (2nd from left) and Amit Rohidas (Extreme right) with dignitaries in Bhubaneswar on 29 August, 2021.