The 17th Ekalabya Award was conferred on weightlifting international K Ravi Kumar in a glittering function in Bhubaneswar today. Panchayati Raj Minister Prafulla Samal presented the prestigious annual award for the year 2009, which carried a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh.

Chess WIM Kiran Manisha Mohanty and athletics international Amiya Kumar Mallick were felicitated on the occasion. Energy Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak handed over citations and a cash prize of Rs 10,000 each to Mohanty and Mallick. Parliament Member and Trustee of Indian Metalas Public Charitable Trust (IMPaCT) B J Panda and international woman hurdler Anuradha Biswal were present in the function.