This is for the first time that the aluminium major has instituted such awards. Besides cash awards, the winners will be honoured with citations and scrolls of honour.
Nalco Smiles Award will be conferred on Dr Sruti Mohapatra, Founder of Swabhiman, for her outstanding contributions towards the rehabilitation of differently-abled children. She will receive a cash prize of Rs one lakh.
Dr Ileana Citaristi has been chosen for the Nalco Kharavela Award for promoting Odissi dance and Guru par excellence. The award also carries a purse of Rs one lakh.
These three awards will be given away during the 36th Foundation Day Celebrations of Nalco on January 7, a NALCO release said.
Besides, two more awards will be given away on the preceding day. Prof Harekrishna Satapathy, Vice-Chancellor, Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha, Tirupati and Prof Gangadhar Panda, VC, Shri Jagannath Sanskrit Vishvavidyalaya, Puri have been selected for Nalco Kalidas Awards, for their significant contributions in the field of teaching and propagating Sanskrit.