On the occasion of National Sports Day on Tuesday, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik presented the prestigious Biju Patnaik Sports Award to cyclist Swasti Singh for her exceptional performance in the field of sports. The CM presented her a cash award of Rs 2 lakh as a token of appreciation.
The CM also acknowledged other eminent personalities who have made remarkable contributions in sports. Hockey coach Peter Tirkey and football coach Rajendra Prasad Singh were conferred with the lifetime achievement awards. Each coach was presented with a cash award of Rs 3 lakh.
The realm of coaching and sports journalism was also celebrated during the ceremony. Coach Pradeep Sarangi and sports journalist Ajay Kumar Das were felicitated with the Biju Patnaik Sports Award for excellence in coaching and Biju Patnaik Award for excellence in sports journalism, respectively. Each awardee received a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh.