Odisha Bags ‘Best State Promoting Sports’ Award

Bhubaneswar/New Delhi: Odisha was adjudged the Best State Promoting Sports at the FICCI India Sports Awards 2019. The awards ceremony was held at the FICCI Federation House in New Delhi on Wednesday.

This award is a recognition of the state’s exemplary achievements and outstanding contributions to sports,

In the last few years, Odisha has successfully organised a series of international sports events, Asian Junior Women’s Rugby tournament, World Hockey League, Asian Athletics Championship, Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup-2018, Hero Super Cup, Men’s FIH Hockey Series Finals, Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships and Hockey Olympic Qualifiers.

After hosting the 2017 FIFA U-17 Men’s World Cup, it is looking forward to FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup next year. It will also host the Men’s Hockey World Cup 2023, which is a second in a row.

Odisha has also set a precedent by launching High Performance Centres in various sports disciplines in partnership with corporates and eminent sportspersons.

Added to this, the state government is planning to come up with a sports policy to promote various sports activities.

Similarly, Indian women’s hockey team captain Rani Rampal and ace pistol shooter Saurabh Chaudhary won the Sports Person of the Year awards.

Odisha Sports Minister Tusharkanti Behera and the state’s Secretary-cum-Commissioner, Department of Sports & Youth Services, Vishal Dev, presented the awards to the winners.

The awards are an attempt by FICCI to acknowledge and recognise the contribution of athletes and various stakeholders.

THE AWARDEES LIST

Best State Promoting Sports –

Odisha

Best Company Promoting Sports (Public Sector) –

Central Coalfields Limited

Railway Sports Promotion Board

Best Company Promoting Sports (Private Sector) –

Centre for Sports Science

Best NGO Promoting Sports –

Subroto Mukherjee Sports Education Society

Special Recognition NGO Promoting Sports –

My Angels Academy

Best Professional Services Company –

The Sports School

Best Sports Start-up –

FanCode Powered by Dream11

Best National Sports Federation –

National Rifle Association of India

Sportsperson of the Year (Female) –

Rani Rampal

Sportsperson of the Year (Male) –

Saurabh Chaudhary

Para-Athlete of the Year –

Sandeep Chaudhary

Special Recognition Para-Athlete of the Year –

Manasi Joshi

Breakthrough Sports Person of the Year –

Amit Panghal

Special Recognition Breakthrough Sports Person of the Year –

Esow Alben

Coach or Support Staff of the Year –

Satyanarayana

Lifetime Achievement Award (Administrator) –

Govindaraj Kempareddy

Lifetime Achievement Award (Athlete) –

Pankaj Advani

Best Sports Journalist –

Kamesh Srinivasan

Special Recognition on the theme of Building New India Through Sports & Fitness –

Chitharesh Natesam – India’s First Mr Universe