Chief minister Naveen Patnaik honours a sportsperson at Jayadev Bhavan in Bhubaneswar. Picture by Sanjib Mukherjee

Bhubaneswar, June 20: The accomplishment of athlete Anuradha Biswal, who took part in the Commonwealth Games in 2010, and many others, was recognised at an event organised by the government here today.

The state department of sports and youth services hosted a felicitation-cum-cash award ceremony at Jayadev Bhavan here today to honour sportspersons who have achieved success between 2007 and 2012.

While 113 sportspersons were given the incentive and cash award, 16 others were felicitated for outstanding performance in sports.

Awardees were given various amounts of cash prizes depending on their performance. Youth chess star Women Grandmaster Padmini Rout, who received a Rs 7.5 lakh, was the recipient of the highest cash award.

Her father Ashok Rout represented her to accept the award just like parents and coaches of many other popular sports personalities including weightlifter K. Ravi Kumar, hockey players Ignace Tirkey and Birendra Lakra, athlete Srabani Nanda and chess player Debashis Das. The young stars were busy at various sporting events.

The sports department also encouraged para-athletes and sportspersons with disabilities. Para Olympian Markand Reddy won the second highest cash award of Rs 5.45 lakh and para badminton player Shiba Prasad Das was awarded the fourth highest cash prize of Rs 4.25 lakh.

Seven other physically challenged sportspersons were also awarded.

“This one step of encouragement by the government has given us the zeal to perform even better at the next events,” said Reddy.

Completing her silver jubilee in athletics, Anuradha emerged the star at the event as the Olympian athlete was not only given a cash award of Rs 2 lakh for her performance in the last five years, but also another honour of Rs 3 lakh.

“I hope I can now groom young talents of the state,” said the veteran athlete.

There were more girls than boys collecting the awards for their performance. Sportspersons from various disciplines such as shooting, rowing, bodybuilding, sepak takraw, tennikoit, baseball, rugby and power lifting also received awards.

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik, hockey player and Rajya Sabha member Dilip Tirkey, principal secretary of sports department Injeti Srinivas and director of the department D.V. Swamy gave away the prizes.

At the event, the chief minister also said that the hockey turf at Kalinga Stadium was expected to be launched next month.