Sarala Puraskar for Odia writer Pradeep Dash

Noted Odia writer Pradeep Dash will be conferred with the 40th edition of prestigious Sarala Puraskar for his poetry work Charu Chibar O Charjya.

The annual award, comprising a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh and a citation, will be presented at a special function to be held on October 26.

Two more notable personalities of Odisha will be honoured for their valuable contribution in the field of music and art. While Pandit Harmohan Khuntia will be awarded 'Ila Panda Sangeet Samman', Lalat Mohan Patnaik will receive 'Ila Panda Chitrakala Samman', a release said.

They will receive a cash award of Rs 1,50,000 each along with citations, the award committee said in a release.

Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal has consented to be the chief guest at the Sarala Award function, the release said.

The annual Sarala Puraskar instituted by eminent Odia industrialist Late Bansidhar Panda and Late Ila Panda in 1979, has been continuously awarded by Indian Metals Public Charitable Trust (IMPaCT). IMPaCT is the charitable wing of IMFA Ltd, the leading and the only fully integrated producer of ferro alloys in India.

Sarala Puraskar is recognised as the foremost literary award of Odisha. This award is one of the finest contributions of IMPaCT to glorify Odia literature, it said.

Ekalabya Puraskar has also been instituted by IMPaCT to encourage promising sports talents of Odisha.