27-Dec-2020
Woman hockey Olympian Namita Toppo was today presented with the 28th Ekalabya Puraskar for the year 2020 in a simple and short program at an undisclosed venue. The annual award was conferred for her outstaning performance from 1 April 2018 to 31 March, 2020. The award carried a cheque of Rs 5 lakh, citation and trophy.
Besides Namita, two other sportspersons were felicitated as runners-up. They were weightlifting international Sneha Soren and badminton international Rutaparna Panda. The duo receive Rs 50,000 each along with citations in absentia.
An experienced midfielder of the Indian women hockey team, Namita has 163 caps to her name. She represented the country in several international tournaments, including the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Born on June 4, 1995 in Jauramala village of Sundargarh district, helped India win one silver, one bronze in Asian Games and one gold in Women Asia Cup. A product of Panposh Sports Hostel, Rourkela, Namita also participated in the 2018 Women Hockey World Cup in London.
Instituted in the year 1993 by IMPaCT, the charitable wing of Indian Metals & Ferro Alloys (IMFA). Ekalabya Award is given every year to young sportspersons of Odisha in recognition of their achievements in the preceding two years.
ROLL OF HONOUR:
2020 (28th): Namita Toppo (Hockey). Citations: Sneha Soren (Weightlifting); Rutaparna Panda (Badminton).
2019 (27th): Jhili Dalabehera (Weightlifting). Citations: Jabamani Tudu (Football), Namita Toppo (Hockey).
2018 (26th): Lilima Minz (Hockey). Citations: Jhili Dalabehera (Weightlifting), Rutaparna Panda (Badminton).
2017 (25th): Dipsan Tirkey (Hockey). Citations: Amiya Kumar Mallick (Athletics), Deep Grace Ekka (Hockey)
2016 (24th): Srabani Nanda (Athletics). Citations: Dipsan Tirkey (Hockey), Deep Grace Ekka (Hockey).
2015 (23rd): Dutee Chand (Athletics). Citations: Pramila Kirsani (Weightlifting), Saina Salonika (Chess).
2014 (22nd): Purnima Hembram (Athletics). Citations: Rasanara Parbin (Cricket), Manjula Xess (Rowing).
2013 (21st): Shriyanka Sadangi (Shooting). Citations: Dutee Chand (Athletics), Achyutananda Sahu (Weightlifting).
2012 (20th): Debasish Das (Chess). Citations: Pramila Kirsani (Weightlifting), Srabanin Nanda (Athletics).
2011 (19th): Pratima Puhana (Rowing). Citations: Pramila Prava Minz (Rowing), Sasmita Malik (Football).
2010 (18th): Kiran Manisha Mohanty (Chess); Debasish Das (Chess), Pratima Puhana (Rowing)
2009 (17th): K Ravi Kumar (Weightlifting). Citations: Kiran Manisha Mohanty (Chess), Amiya Kumar Mallick (Athletics).
2008 (26th): Padmini Rout (Chess). Citations: Srabani Nanda (Athletics), Rohit Kumar Swain (Rowing).
2007 (15th): Mamata Jena (Rowing)
2006 (14th): Pravasini Dwivedy (Rowing)
2005 (13th): Subhadra Pradhan (Hockey)
2004 (12th): William Xalxo (Hockey)
2003 (11th): Ignace Tirkey (Hockey)
2002 (10th): Prabodh Tirkey (Hockey)
2001 (9th): Rashmi Ranjan Parida (Cricket)
2000 (8th): Anuradha Biswal (Athletics)
1999 (7th): Lazarus Barla (Hockey)
1998 (6th): Debasis Mohanty (Cricket)
1997 (5th): Sanjay Raul (Cricket)
1996 (4th): Dillip Kumar Tirkey (Hockey)
1995 (3rd): Shiv Sundar Das (Cricket)
1994 (2nd): Gloria Dung Dung (Hockey)
1993 (1st): Rachita Panda (Athletics)
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PHOTO: Woman hockey Olympian Namita Toppo with the Ekalabya Puraskar on 27 December, 2020.
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