BHUBANESWAR 06-Sep-2016
The 13th Saroj Mahasuara Memorial Award for upcoming cricketer and outstanding umpire were conferred on Ranjit Singh and Pabitra Pradhan respectively at Town Club here on today. The awards are being given every year since 2004 as a tribute to umpire Saroj Mahasuara, who died in a road accident, while returning home after conducting a match at Cuttack in 2002.
State Culture and Tourism Minister Ashok Chanda Panda handed over the awards in the presence of Bhubaneswar Mayor Ananta Narayan Jena, BJP leader Sameer Mohanty, eminent cricket coach Kishor Mania, Town Club vice-president Jayadev Mohapatra and sports secretary Manoj Mohapatra.
A right-hand batsman from Rourkela, Ranjit started playing for Odisha in the year 2009. After representing and leading state U-16 and U-19 teams, he barged into the state senior side by virtue of scoring 525 runs in four matches for the U-23 team in C K Nayudu Trophy.
After making his First-Class debut in a Ranji Trophy match against Karnataka, Ranjit cornered glory by slamming a century in his next Ranji match against Haryana at Rohatak.
A journalist by profession, cricket umpiring has been a passion for Pabitra Pradhan, who is known as a contemporary of Saroj Mahasuara. Bhubaneswar-based Pradhan became a state-panel umpire after clearing the required test, conducted by Odisha Cricket Association in 1999. Since then, he has officiated matches in all the state-level tournaments, including Kalahandi Cup.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PHOTO: Winners of Saroj Mahasuara Memorial Cricket Award with guests and officials in Bhubaneswar on Sept 6, 2016.
