The Department of Sports and Youth Services, Government of Odisha felicitated 88 athletes for their outstanding achievements in various sporting disciplines and were presented a total amount of Rs 19,65,500 as cash awards at the Kalinga Sports Complex in Bhubaneswar today.

Hockey Promotion Council Odisha Chief Executive Officer Deepankar Mohapatra handed over the cash awards in team and individual events across various sports including para sports and blind sports. The felicitation spanned across six diverse disciplines, namely athletics, kho kho, para athletics, blind cricket, gymnastics and weightlifting.

Each member of the Odisha junior women kho-kho team that secured the silver medal in the Junior National Championship, received Rs 20,000. Similarly, each member of Odisha women cricket team for the blind received Rs 20,000 for emerging champions in the 4th National T20 Tournament.

According to official whatsapp information, in para athletics, Rs 3,20,000 was distributed amongst eight athletes for the four gold and four silver medals they won at the 22nd National Para Athletics Champions 2024, held in Goa.

As many as 15 gymnasts were also felicitated at the ceremony for their notable performances at the Junior and Senior Artistic Gymnastics National Championship, which was hosted by Odisha earlier this year.

Weightlifters from Odisha were rewarded with Rs 40,000 for gold medals, Rs 27,000 for silver and Rs 17,000 for bronze, following their impressive showing in the recently concluded National Weightlifting Championship 2023-24 in Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh along with athletes who demonstrated their prowess on the track and field during the 38th Junior Nationals Athletics Championship of 2023 who were rewarded similarly.

Amongst the notable athletes felicitated at the ceremony were Jayanti Behera, Suchitra Parida, Pankaj Bhue (all para athletics), Jyoshna Sabar, Mina Santa (both weightlifting), Tapan Mohanty, Rakesh Kumar Patra, Mohd Anas (all gymnastics), Bapi Hansda and Sabita Toppo (both athletics).