Pratyasa Ray, a rising star in swimming, was selected for the prestigious Ekalabya Puraskar for 2024, an official said. Ray secured six medals – four gold, one silver and a bronze – in the Khelo India University Games in Guwahati in February this year. The Ekalabya Puraskar committee comprising jury members drawn from various sectors were unanimous in selecting Ray for the prestigious award at a meeting in Bhubaneswar. Ray will be awarded a cash prize of Rs 7 lakh—an increase from the previous Rs 5 lakh, along with a citation at a ceremony to be held at a later date.

Sprinter Dondapati Mrutyam Jayaram and badminton player Tanvi Patri will also be felicitated for their remarkable performances in various international and national-level events in their respective fields.

Each of the citation winners will receive a cash prize of Rs 1.5 lakh, up from Rs 1 lakh, along with citations at the award ceremony.

Ekalabya Puraskar was instituted by charitable body IMPaCT in 1993 and managed by IMFA, the leading ferro alloys producer in the country. It is now considered the most prestigious sports award in Odisha.

The award is given every year to young sportspersons of Odisha in recognition of their outstanding performance in the preceding two years.

Announcing the names of the award winners on Sunday, Baijayant Panda, chairperson of Ekalabya Puraskar Committee and Trustee of IMPaCT, said the award was instituted to encourage young sportspersons of the state to perform at the national and international arenas.

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