Bhubaneswar: Eminent poet and Padma Bhushan Ramakanta Rath, star sprinter Dutee Chand, among other noted personalities were conferred Odisha Living Legend Awards for 2018.

Orissa Diary Foundation conferred the prestigious award to Rath and Chand at an event organized at a hotel here.

The Annual Living Legend and Youth Inspiration Awards selected great and inspiring individuals from different sections of the society and OdishaInc awards were conferred upon inspiring institutions and individuals contributing to the economy of the state.

Chief Guest Hon’ble Health, IB Minister Shri Pratap Jena, conferred the National Living Legend award, Odisha Living Legend and Odisha Youth Inspiration Awards, Odisha Inc Award to awardees.

From this year, Odisha Diary has introduced National Living Legend Award. The first ever National Living Legend Award 2018 was conferred on Madhu Pandit Dasa, Chairman, The Akshaya Patra Foundation. Speaking about the newly introduced award segment, Mr. 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 was instituted to appreciate

Odisha’s national connection and inspiring work that impacts Odisha and India.

In the Living Legend Oration, which focused upon 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.”

Mr. Shantanu Mishra, Executive Trustee of Smile Foundation, one of the two key note speakers 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 conferred on renowned modernist poet Padma

Bhushan Ramakanta Rath in Literature, renowned  film director and screenwriter Padma Shri 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 Shri Budhadev Meher in Education, mountain man Daitari

Naik in Social Service, iconic song Rangabati Lyricist Shri 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 MoSchool Abhiyan and not-for-profit initiative Kalahandi Dialogue received special appreciation from the award organizers. 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 Sahoo in Education and Social Service, Shri Naresh Mohapatra in NRO and special citation to Rudra Prasanna Rath for promoting social cause through social media.

These awards launched in 2011 have emerged as the most important civilian award to acknowledge and recognize extraordinary and inspiring contribution to Odia society. In last seven years many leading names including Tulasi Munda, Priyambada Hejmadi, Pratibha Ray, Sarthak Behuria , Sabyasachi Mohapatra, Sitakanta Mahapatra, Jharana Das,

Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia, Manorama Mahapatra, Kishore Mania, PK Mahanandia, Santrupta Mishra and Uttam Mohanty,  Shiv Sundar Das, Dr. Trilochan Pradhan,  Dr S K Nanda,  Shruti Mohapatra, Bhagaban Meher , Prashanta Nanda, Jharana Das, Dilip Tirkey, Sudarsan Patnaik, Nilamadhav Panda, Manorama Mahapatra , Kishore Mania, Jayanta Mohapatra, Gopal Ghosh, K. Ravi Kumar, Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Chatrubuj Meher, Pratibha  Satapathy etc have been awarded with Odisha Living Legend Awards.

National Living Legend Award 2018 -

Madhu Pandit Dasa, Chairman, The Akshaya Patra Foundation

Special Annual Citation, 2018

  1. MoSchool Abhiyan
  2. Kalahandi Dialogue

Odisha Living Legend Awards for 2018:

  1. Literature– Ramakanta Rath
  2. Education – Budhadeb Meher
  3. Film Industry– Sisir Mishra
  4. NRO and Public Policy – Dr Swarup Ranjan Mishra,
  5. Social Service–  Santanu Mishra and Daitari Naik
  6. Sports –Dutte Chand and Nagpuri Ramesh
  7. Communal Harmony- Gountia Mohammad Jamiullah
  8. Entrepreneurship – J. K. Mohanty
  9. Promoting Art & Culture – Mitrabhanu Gauntia and Masako Ono

Odisha Youth Inspiration Awards for 2018

  1. Literature – Bharat Majhi
  2. Social Service – Saroj Dash
  3. Business Leadership & Entrepreneurship – Rashmi Sahoo
  4. Education and social service–Subhajit Sahu
  5. Promoting Art & Culture – Padmini Panigrahi
  6. Sports – Pramod Bhagat
  7. Film and Entertainment – Elina Samantray and Shri Dilip Sahoo
  8. NRO – Naresh Mohapatra
  9. Public Policy – Sandeep Kumar Pattnaik
  10.       Special Citation: Rudra Prasanna Rath

Odisha Inc Awardees of 2018

1 CSR Award – MCL

2 CSR Award - IFFCO

3 Green CSR Award – J.K Paper, Rayagada

4 Emerging Hospitality Brand- Swosti Chilka Resorts

5 Best Brand Award - Mayfair Hotel and Resorts

6 Green Campus Award- Sri Sri University

7 Business leader Award - Dr. Uday Sankar Sethi

8 Business leader Award- Soubhagya Mohapatra

9 Industry Leadership Award- Sanjay Patnaik

10 Emerging Entrepreneur - Ananta Vasudev

11 Women Entrepreneur of the Award – Tara Das