Para-badminton world champion Pramod Bhagat, chess Grand Master Swayams Mishra and eminent athletics coaches Panchanan Gantayat and Arun Kumar Das were conferred with the Annual Awards of Odisha Sports Journalists Association (OSJA) in a function held at Barabati Stadium, Cuttack today.

The awards, carrying cheques of Rs 25,000 each and citations were conferred for the years 2019 and 2020. Pramod and Swayams received the awards as the OSJA Sportsperson of the Year 2019 and 2020 respectively.

Similarly, Panchanan Gantayat and Arun Das bagged the OSJA Lifetime Achievement Awards 2019 and 2020 respectively. In the absence of Gantayat, his brother received the award on his behalf.

Odisha Football Association and Odisha Athletics Association Secretary Asirbad Behera, athletics Olympian Anuradha Biswal and former football international Rajendra Prasad Singh graced the function as guests and handed over the awards.

Eminent mediapersons Hrudayanath Das, Shyamakanta Pattanayak and Pramod’s doubles partner Manoj Sarkar were felicitated on the occasion, which coincided with sixth Foundation Day of OSJA.

OSJA President Sandeep Mishra, Working President K Ravi, Organising Committee Secretary Susanta Mohanty and Secretary Sambit Mohapatra were present on the occasion. The guests and awardees unequivocally appreciated the role played by sports journalists over the years for promotion of sports in the state.

Odisha Sports Journalists Association (OSJA) is the only affiliated Odisha unit of Sports Journalists’ Federation of India (SJFI). OSJA has been conferring its Annual Awards since the year 2018.

International heptathlete Purnima Hembram and veteran footballer Debendra Singh bagged the OSJA Sportsperson and Lifetime Achievement Awards respectively for the year 2017. The awards for the year 2018 were bestowed on hockey star Amit Rohidas and boxing coach Braja Bhusan Mohanty.

ROLL OF HONOUR:

SPORTS PERSON OF THE YEAR AWARD:
2017: Purnima Hembram (Athletics), 2018: Amit Rohidas (Hockey), 2019: Pramod Bhagat (Para-Badminton), 2020: Swayams Mishra (Chess).

LIFE-TIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD:
2017: Debendra Prasad Singh (Football), 2018: Braja Bhusan Mohanty (Boxing), 2019: Panchanan Gantayat (Athletics), 2020: Arun Kumar Das (Athletics).
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PHOTO: Awardees, guests and OSJA members during Awards Presentation Function in Cuttack on 21 March, 2021.