Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has recognized hockey player Birendra Lakra as the eastern Indian state’s Outstanding Sportsperson of the Year.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on August 29 conferred on the 25-year-old Catholic youth from Rourkela diocese the Biju Patnaik Award for Outstanding Sportsperson of Year at a function held at Jayadev Bhawan in the state capital of Bhubaneswar.
Lakra said all awards are equally important for him whether they carry a substantial amount of money or just a bouquet.
“I have won many awards in my career and they are all equally important for me. Awards motivate me to perform better,” said the India defender, who was part of the National team that won gold medal at the Inchon Asian Games in 2014, silver medal at Glasgow Commonwealth Games and bronze in the 2012 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup at Ipoh, Malaysia last year.
Lakra is also the winner of Hockey India’s Dhruv Batra Award for Player of the Year 2014. He said the latest award carried special significance for him. “It is a special honor when you are awarded in your home state. Biju Patnaik Award is the highest government recognition for sports in the state and emotionally I feel happy to have been conferred with it,” said Lakra, who received a statuette, scroll of honor and a check of 200,000 rupees.
Speaking on the upcoming challenges for Indian men’s team, Lakra, a product of Rourkela-based SAIL (Steel Authority of India) Hockey Academy, said they are gearing up to do well in the test series against New Zealand from October 2 to 11 and the World Hockey League final at Raipur, India, from November 27 to December 6.
But, the Sundargarh-born hockey star did not agree that frequent change of coach was causing inconvenience to the National team. “As a national team, we have our own style of play. Coaches, whether indigenous or foreign, guide us according to their plans. Of course, adjusting to a new style or strategy is not easy. But as players we have to take it in our stride Lakra told The New Indian Express.
With 110 international caps to his name, Lakra turned out to be the cynosure of all eyes at the award function, where three others were felicitated in different categories.
Basketball player-turned-organizer Ashok Kumar Sahu, football coach Nanda Kishore Patnaik and freelance reporter Satish Sharma bagged the Lifetime Achievement Award, Outstanding Coach and Outstanding Sports Journalist Award respectively.
Sahu pocketed 300,000 rupees, while Patnaik and Sharma became richer by 100,000 rupees and 50,000 rupees respectively.
Woman sprinter Srabani Nanda and heptathelet Purnima Hembram received cash incentive of 300,000 rupees each for winning bronze medals in the Asian Athletics Championship at Wuhan, China earlier this year.