Department Sports and Youth Services (DSYS), Government of Odisha, today felicitated 100 sportspersons of the State with special cash awards for winning medals at the 36th National Games, which was held in six cities of Gujarat and in New Delhi from 27 September to 10 October 2022.

Sports Minister, Tusharkanti Behera, Odisha Hockey Promotion Council Chairman, Dilip Tirkey and DSYS Secretary, R Vineel Krishna presented the awards in a ceremony held at Kalinga Stadium today. Odisha bagged a total of 26 medals in the 36th National Games 2022. The 26 medals consisted of four gold, 11 silver and 11 bronze.

Two sportspersons of Odisha, who won medals for Services Sports Control Board (SSCB) were also felicitated on the occasion. They were cyclist, Dinesh Kumar (3 gold medals) and weightlifter Muna Nayak (1 silver medal).

As committed by the State Government, the winners of team and individual sports of the National Games received Rs 5 lakh for gold medal, Rs 3 Lakh for silver and Rs 2 lakh for bronze medal. Total cash award of Rs 3.16 crore was given out to the medal-winning sportspersons.

Members of women rugby team, which won the gold medal, were felicitated with Rs 60 lakhs as total team cash prize. Similarly, players of women kho-kho team were awarded Rs 45 lakh total cash prize for winning silver medal.

Chief-de-Mission of the Odisha contingent, Ashok Sahu, Deputy Chief-de-Mission, Bhakta Ballav Das, KIIT University Sports Director Genera, Dr Gaganendu Dash, SAI Jagatpur National Centre of Excellence Deputy Director Trailokyanath Sahoo, Odisha Rugby Football Association President Priyadarshi Mishra, Odisha Cycling Association President Minati Mohapatra, Odisha Kho-Kho Association Secretary Pradyumna Mishra and Odisha State Fencing Association Secretary Debendra Kumar Sahoo were present in the function.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PHOTO: National Games medals winners of Odisha pose with dignitaries at the DSYS felicitation function in Bhubaneswar on 25 October 2022.