Bhubaneswar: Noted Odia poet and short story writer  Banaj Devi  will get the 38th edition of prestigious Sarala Puraskar for her short story compilation “Kathapua”. The Sarala Puraskar Committee announced this in a meeting held here on Friday evening. She will receive a cash award of Rs. 5,00,000/- (Rupees five lakh only) along with a citation.

Two more notable personalities of Odisha will be honoured for their valuable contribution in the field of music and art. While Pt.Ghasiram Mishra will be awarded ‘ Ila Panda Sangeet Samman’, Dr.Durga Prasad Das will receive ‘Ila Panda Chitrakala Samman’.  They will receive a cash award of Rs. 1,50,000/- (Rupees one lakh fifty thousand only) each along with citations.

Padmashree Mamang Dai, an eminent writer of India would grace this year’s Sarala Award Function, which will be held on October 26, 2017.

The annual Sarala Puraskar instituted by Indian Metals Public Charitable Trust( IMPaCT), founded by eminent Odia industrialist Dr. Bansidhar Panda and Late Ila Pnada, in the year 1979. IMPaCT is the charitable wing of IMFA Group, the leading and the only fully integrated producer of ferro alloys in India. Sarala Puraskar is recognised as the foremost literary award of our State. This award is one of the finest contributions of IMPaCT to glorify Odia literature. The Ekalavya Award also has been instituted by IMPaCT to encourage promising sports talents of Odisha.