Promising hockey international Amit Rohidas and Dronacharya Awardee boxing coach Braja Bhusan Mohanty have been selected for the OSJA Sportsperson of the Year Award and OSJA Lifetime Achievement Award respectively for the year 2018.

Odisha Sports Journalists’ Association (OSJA), the state unit of Sports Journalists’ Federation of India (SJFI), has been felicitating/honouring outstanding sportspersons and sports legends of the state with OSJA Annual Awards since 2017.

The awards, carrying a purse of Rs 25,000 each, will be conferred in a special function, scheduled to be held at a star hotel in Bhubaneswar on 29th June 2019.

A product of Government Sports Hostel, Panposh, Rourkela, Amit Rohidas has become a regular member of the Indian men’s team with 78 caps to his name so far. He was part of the Indian team that won gold medal in 2017 Dhaka Asia Cup and FIH Men’s Series Finals Bhubaneswar 2019; silver medal in 2013 Ipoh Asia Cup, 2018 Breda Champions Trophy, and bronze medal in 2018 Jakarta Asian Games and 2016-17 Bhubaneswar World League Finals.

Eminent boxing coach Braja Bhusan Mohanty, who belongs to Ganjam district, bagged the prestigious Dronacharya Award in 2017. He produced a number of international medalists, including Shiva Thapa, Dingko Singh, Gurucharan Singh and Vikas Krishan Yadav. Mohanty was in the Indian coach team for boxing from 2002 till 2011.