BHUBANESWAR 08-Nov-2010 141
Controversy surrounding Biju Patnaik Sports Awards, the highest of its kind in Orissa, finally ended yesterday with the Evaluation Committee recommending names one of the four categories for the year 2007 and that for all four categories for the years 2008 and 2009.
The annual awards of the State Government could not be given for the past three years as controversy surfaced over selection of an undeserving candidate for the Sports Journalist category for the year 2007. However, the Evaluation Committee, headed by former Director General of Police B B Mishra and featuring cycling Arjuna Awardee Minati Mohapatra, Orissa State Table Tennis Association secretary Rabindra Kumar Parida, Orissa Basketball Association secretary Ashok Kumar Sahu and sports journalist Sanatan Pani as members sorted out all the pending cases at its meeting in Bhubaneswar.
The name of Sanjib Biswal of local daily Dharitri was recommended for distinguished sports journalist award for the year 2007. The committee selected former international long jumper Hemant Patel, sprinter Srabani Nanda, Nila Madhab Deo (athletics) and Debi Prasanna Mohanty (The Samaj) for the life-time achievement, outstanding sportsperson, outstanding coach and outstanding sports journalist awards respectively for the year 2008.
Similarly names of marathon runner Bibekananda Tripathy (life-time achievement), former India hockey captain Prabodh Tirkey (outstanding sportsperson), hockey coach Kalu Charan Choudhury (outstanding coach) and OTV sports reporter D Niranjan Reddy, Sambad sports reporter Gyana Ranjan Mishra (both for outstanding sports journalists) were chosen for the year 2009.
Interestingly, the committee not only recommended two names for the sports journalist award for 2009, but also requested the Government to give full cash award to both the recipients. However, the finalization of the awards will be subject to approval of the Government.
The awards carry Rs 1.5 lakhs for life-time achievement, Rs 1 lakh for outstanding sportsperson, Rs 50,000 for outstanding coach and Rs 30,000 for outstanding sports journalist. Besides, each awardee will get a silver statue, a scroll of honour and a blazer.
