BIPF honours changemakers in Odisha with Shambhavi Puraskar 2026

By B. Swagatika

Bhubaneswar, March 14: Grassroots innovators and social leaders from across Odisha were recognised at the 13th edition of the Shambhavi Puraskar, organised by the Bansidhar & Ila Panda Foundation (BIPF), which also marked 15 years of its work in community development. The ceremony, held at Mayfair Convention, brought together policymakers, development practitioners and civil society representatives to celebrate initiatives creating tangible change at the grassroots level.

Pravati Parida, Deputy Chief Minister of Odisha, attended the event as the chief guest, while Jayant Rastogi, Global CEO of Magic Bus India Foundation, was present as the guest of honour.

Over the past decade and a half, BIPF has implemented a range of community-led programmes across six districts of the state. Through its initiatives focused on sustainable livelihoods, education and social development, the foundation has reached nearly 690 villages and positively impacted more than 2.7 million people. To commemorate the milestone, a coffee table book documenting the organisation’s journey and key interventions was unveiled during the event.

Instituted in 2013, the Shambhavi Puraskar honours individuals and organisations that are driving transformative social change at the grassroots level in Odisha. This year, two organisations — Sathee Parivar and Balangir Gramodyog Samiti (BGS) — were named recipients of the award. Each organisation received a cash prize of ₹5 lakh along with a citation and a commemorative crest.

Sathee Parivar was recognised for its community-driven efforts to reduce snakebite deaths in Angul district. Through awareness campaigns, partnerships with government agencies and the creation of village-level response teams, the organisation has trained over 9,800 volunteers and helped save nearly 490 lives in the last three years.

Balangir Gramodyog Samiti was honoured for its work in promoting sustainable agriculture and strengthening rural livelihoods. Since 2020, the organisation has supported more than 3,600 farmers across 29 villages in Tureikela block through training, agricultural inputs and market linkages, while also strengthening farmer producer groups largely led by women.

The Jury Commendation Certificate, carrying a cash award of ₹1 lakh, was presented to Dr. Sasmita Meher of Bargarh for revitalising Odisha’s traditional textile heritage and creating sustainable livelihood opportunities for nearly 100 women artisans.

In addition, the Shambhavi Youth Icon Award was conferred on Sarmilata Pradhan and Yamuna Pradhan from Kandhamal district for empowering girls through football and raising awareness against child marriage in rural communities.