Bhubaneswar: Odia hockey Olympian Namita Toppo will be bestowed the prestigious Ekalabya Puraskar for 2020.
The Ekalabya Committee members on Sunday unanimously chose Toppo for the annual award institute
d by IMPaCT, the charitable wing of Indian Metals & Ferro Alloys (IMFA).
An experienced midfielder of the women’s team, Namita has represented India in several international tournaments, including the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Namita will receive a cash award of Rs 5 lakh along with a citation. The date of the award ceremony, to be held under COVID-19 guidelines, will be intimated in due course.
Two other Odia sportspersons — weightlifter Sneha Soren and international badminton player Rutaparna Panda — will also be felicitated on the occasion. They will receive Rs 50,000 each along with citations.