Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s largest media conglomerate Sambad Group today hosted the 4th edition of Sambad Brands of Odisha Pride of India: Corporate Excellence Awards 2021 at Mayfair Convention in Bhubaneswar.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik graced the award ceremony through a virtual medium. Union Petroleum & Natural Gas, Steel Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Western Odisha Development Council (WODC) Chairman Asit Tripathy, Chairman of Sambad Group and and Editor of Sambad Soumya Ranjan Patnaik and Managing Director of Sambad Group Monica Nayyar Patnaik were the distinguished personalities on the dais.

The ceremony opened with Monica Nayyar Patnaik’s introductory speech following which Naveen Patnaik virtually addressed the dignitaries. Further, Sambad Editor Soumya Ranjan Patnaik and former Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy took turns to deliver their speech. Later, the awards were presented to the winners.

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The Brands of Odisha Pride of India: Corporate Excellence Awards-2021 were conferred in 5 categories and here is the list:

  • Brand of the Year CSR

               Platinum: Mahanadi Coalfields Limited

  • Brand of the Year-Large

               Platinum: Paradeep Phosphates Limited

              Gold: Gupta Power Infrastructure Ltd

              Silver: Exim Logistics Private Limited

  • Brand of the Year-Medium

               Platinum: Manishri Refractories & Ceramics Pvt. Ltd.

              Gold: Luminous Infoways Pvt. Ltd.

              Silver: Eastend Technologies Pvt. Ltd

  • Brand of the Year-Small

               Platinum: Nemhans Solution Pvt. Ltd.

              Gold: Innotech Packaging Private Limited

             Silver: Blue Circle Instruments

             Jury Special Awards: Noble Pharmacare, TechLand Systems Pvt. Ltd.

  • Emerging Brand of the year:

               Gold: Haastika Handicrafts Pvt Ltd

Apart from the five above mentioned categories, another award -Young and Emerging Entrepreneur of Odisha was presented to Dr. Abinash Samal, Director of Empreo Wheels (MG) & Empreo Prestige (Jaguar & Land Rover).

Sambad Group started the 'Brands of Odisha Pride of India' campaign in 2018 to felicitate the brands born in Odisha who are successful in Odisha as well as in the country. Despite the COVID-19 crisis in 2020, the initiative continued with its 4th edition.

On November 24, 2020, Hockey veteran Padma Shri Dilip Tirkey and Sambad Group Chairman Soumya Ranjan Patnaik had unveiled the logo of this year’s awards at Sambad Bhawan.  Entries were accepted from various entrepreneurs till Jan 6, 2021. Later, an independent Jury selected the winners.