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Parida receives Ekalabya award
Nov 12, 2001
The New Indian Express

The National cricket selectors may have overlooked the achievements of Odisha's prolific Ranji trophy batsman Rashmi Ranjan Parida repeatedly, but not so for the aficionados of the game in the state.

On Monday evening, when Indian Metals Public Charitable Trust (IMPaCT) honoured Parida with the ninth 'Ekalabya Puraskar', it came as big consolation for the 27 year-old stylish batsman, who finished the 2000-2001 Ranji championship as the second highest run-getter, aggregating 885 runs from seven matches.

In a glittering function at a city hotel, State Chief Secretary Debi Prasad Bagchi gave away the prestigious annual award to Parida, who also received a cash award of Rs 75,000/-.

A determined Parida promised to continue his hard work in quest of his ultimate goal - an India cap.

IMPaCT, a trust managed by IMFA Group of Companies, also felicitated to other promising sportspersons - hockey player Prabodh Kumar Tirkey and weightlifter Tikina Gopal - for their outstanding performance during the past two years.

Both Tirkey and Tikina received citations and cash awards of Rs 10,000/- each, in absentia. Tirkey, who lead India to their title triumph in the Sub-junior Asia Cup at Singapore last year, was also a proud member of National side that emerged champions in the recently concluded Junior World Cup at Hovart, Australia.Last year, Tikina represented the country in a junior weightlifting championship in Korea, where she also won her event.

Ekalabya Puraskar Board chairman B J Panda, convenor S K Patnaik, members Meena Gupta, S Maqbool Ali were among others present at the function.

The Ekalabya Puraskar, which has been recognising young and outstanding sportsperson of the State and encouraging them to bring bigger laurels, was instituted in 1998. The earlier eight award winners include Shiv Sundar Das, Debasis Mohanty, Sanjay Raul (all cricket): Dilip Tirkey, Lazrus Barla, Gloria Dung Dung (all Hockey): Rachita Mistry and Anuradha Biswal (Both athletics).



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