Bhubaneswar: Dronacharya awardee and boxing coach Braja Bhushan Mohanty and hockey player Amit Rohidas were felicitated by Odisha Sports Journalists’ Association (OSJA) here on Saturday.
Mohanty, the only Odia recipient of the Dronacharya award was felicitated with the lifetime achievement award, while Rohidas was honoured with the best sportsperson of the year award by OSJA.
Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Tusharkanti Behera, head of IMFA’s corporate affairs & vice president Ashok Kumar Behera and former cricketer Debasis Mohanty were present at the felicitation function. OSJA working president Sandeep Mishra presided over the event.
The Sports Minister said his focus is on promoting traditional and village level sports in Odisha. He informed that astro-turn fields will come up in 17 blocks of Sundargarh-district, where hockey is an integral part of the culture. Besides, sports centres will be set up in four cities in Odisha besides Bhubaneswar, he said.