The State Sports and Youth Services Department has constituted an eight-member evaluation committee to consider proposals and recommend names for conferment of Biju Patnaik Awards for three years (2007-08 to 2009-10).

According to a departmental notification, the evaluation committee has been formed with former Police DG Bipin Bihari Mishra as chairman, Sports and Youth Services Director as member-convenor, hockey Olympian Dilip Tirkey, former National cycling champion Minati Mohapatra, former National athletics gold medallist Panchanan Gantayat, Orissa Basketball Association secretary Ashok Sahu, Orissa State Table Tennis Association secretary Rabindra Kumar Parida and sports journalist Sanatan Pani as members.

Instituted in the year 2001-02, Biju Patnaik Award is conferred every year in four categories — Life-time Achievement, Sportsperson the Year, Outstanding Coach and Outstanding Sports Journalist. But due to controversy over selection of candidate for outstanding sports journalist category, the state’s highest award in the field of sports has been discontinued since 2007-08.