Bhubaneswar: Rising badminton star Swetaparna Panda was conferred with the prestigious 33rd Annual Ekalabya Award by IMPaCT Trust at a ceremony in Bhubaneswar on Sunday.
The young athlete received a trophy along with a cash prize of Rs 7 lakh for her outstanding achievements in badminton.
The event also recognised other accomplished sportspersons. Weightlifter Pritismita Bhoi and lawn tennis player Aahaan were felicitated for their stellar performances at national and international competitions. Each of them received a citation and a cash prize of Rs 1.5 lakh.
“This award is very inspiring. I have watched it for many years because my sister was also an Ekalabya Awardee four years ago. Watching her achievements motivated me. I never specifically aimed for this award, but I believe my hard work has been recognised this year,” said Swetaparna Panda while speaking to the media.
The ceremony was graced by Odisha Advocate General Pitambar Acharya as the chief guest, while Prakash Mishra, former DG of Odisha Police, attended as the guest of honour.
Baijayant Panda, Chairman of the Ekalabya Puraskar Committee-2025 and Trustee of IMPaCT, was present along with the distinguished jury members. He congratulated Swetaparna for her achievement and praised the other awardees for their remarkable performances.
The awards function concluded with a vote of thanks by IMPaCT Trustee Paramita Panda, and the ceremony was conducted by Aswini Prasad Mohanty, Head of IMFA Corporate Affairs.
