Prestigious Odisha Living Legend and Youth Inspiration Awards Conferred

Prestigious Odisha Living Legend and Youth Inspiration Awards Conferred

It was an evening where noted Odia personalities doing commendable work not just within the state but also across borders came together on one platform as the prestigious Odisha Living Legends and Youth Inspiration Awards for 2018 were given away at a glittering ceremony in a city hotel here on Friday.

The Annual Living Legend and Youth Inspiration Awards selected great and inspiring individuals from different sections of the society while the Odisha Inc awards were conferred upon inspiring institutions and individuals contributing to the economy of the state.  Instituted by the Odisha Diary Foundation, the award ceremony, into its eighth edition, also witnessed the initiation of the National Living Legend Award for the first time, which was conferred on Madhu Pandit Dasa, Chairman, The Akshaya Patra Foundation. 

Chief Guest Health and IB Minister Pratap Jena gave away the National Living Legend Award, Odisha Living Legend and Odisha Youth Inspiration Awards, Odisha Inc Award to awardees. Speaking about the newly introduced award segment, Rashmi Ranjan Parida, Editor and Founder of Odisha Diary and Odisha Diary Foundation and a pioneer in Digital Journalism, said, “There is a need to bringing the best of the world and India to Odisha and take the best of Odisha to India and to the world. In this context, a National Living Legend Award has been instituted to appreciate Odisha’s national connection and inspiring work that impacts Odisha and India.”

 The ceremony started with the Living Legend Oration, which focused on the subject of Philanthropy in 21st Century: Challenges and Opportunities, Chanchalpathi Dasa, Vice Chairman, The Akshaya Patra Foundation said, “Strategic philanthropy is needed for impactful social initiative. Akshaya Patra was able to structurally expand and bring positive impact in our society because of the collaboration with the corporates by methodical implementation of large-scale projects.”

Elaborating on the challenges faced by non-profit organisations, Dasa said. “Civil society organizations can only bring with them dedication, passion and compassion while corporates can provide management, good practices and networking along with funding needed for successful execution of social initiatives. Hence a strategic collaboration with the corporates can bring the impactful change we all want to see.”

Santanu Mishra, Executive Trustee of Smile Foundation, the other key note speaker in the Living Legend Oration, stressed upon the need for integration between non-profit, for-profit and government interventions and said collaboration has become a necessity and not just a choice.

Odisha Living Legend Awardees of 2018 were conferred on renowned modernist poet Padma Bhushan RamakantaRath in Literature, renowned  film director and screenwriter Padma Sisir Mishra in Film Industry, Kenyan Parliamentarian Dr. Swarup Ranjan Mishra in Public Policy, Smile Foundation co-founder  Santanu Mishra in Social Service, torch bearer of education Budhadev Meher in Education, mountain man Daitari Naik in Social Service,  iconic song Rangabati lyricist Mitrabhanu Gauntia, Odisha-based Japanese Odissi Dancer Masako Ono in Art & Culture, Olympian, international sprinter Dutte Chand, legendary coach Nagpuri Ramesh in sports, pioneer of Hotel, Hospitality industry J.K. Mohanty  in entrepreneurship, legendary community activist, poet Gountia Mohammad Jamiullah in Communal Harmony, Women Entrepreneur of the Award – Tara Das.

Odisha Government’s Mo School Abhiyan and not-for-profit initiative Kalahandi Dialogue received special appreciation from the award organisers. They were felicitated for their impactful work in past one year.

Odisha Youth Inspiration Awardees of 2018 included Saroj Dash in Social Service, Bharat Majhi in Literature, Rashmi Sahoo in Business Leadership and Entrepreneurship, Sandeep Kumar Patnaik in Public Policy,  Padmini Panigrahi Art & Culture, Pramod Bhagat in Sports, Elina Samantray and Dilip Sahoo in Film Industry, Subhojit Sahu in Education and Social Service, Naresh Mohapatra in NRO and special citation to Rudra Prasanna Rath for promoting social cause through social media.

 Launched in 2011, these awards have emerged as one of the most important civilian awards to acknowledge and recognise extraordinary and inspiring contribution to Odia society.