Bhubaneswar: Internationally acclaimed Special Olympics Bharat Coach and renowned sportsperson, Arpita Mohapatra was recently conferred with the Shakti Samman 2026 award in sports category by the Confederation of Indian Industries - Indian Women Network (CII-IWN) in a glittering function held

here.

She received the award from the hands of Anu Garg, the Chief Secretary of Odisha, in the presence of a host of other dignitaries including Chitra Arumugam and Hemant Sharma, senior bureaucrats of Odisha Government. Arpita was chosen for her dedicated commitment and pioneering work in inclusive sports and adventure sports, promoting disability inclusion, adaptive sports and mentoring athletes to enable them to grow and represent the State and the Country.

She had notably undertaken a successful expedition to Saurkindi Pass leading a team of 11 persons with visual impairment, an arduous and dangerous mountain cycling for 600 kilometres in the Himalayas and teaching more than 200 children in open water swimming and life saving skills in the water.

She is the first woman of Odisha trailblazing her way in mountaineering, scuba diving, various water and aero sports like surfing and hang gliding. She has been recognised by Special Olympics International as one of the "50 Game Changers of the World".

Prakash Rath, Area Director of Special Olympics Bharat Odisha, Sunita Mund, President, Umakant Sarangi, Vice President, Sasmita Mohapatra, Sports Director, Suresh Khuntia, Treasurer, Manatosh Behera, ID Expert, Sarita Routray, Athlete Representative, Tanmay Senapati, Member and Diptimayee Rout, Parent Representative have conveyed their wishes to Arpita for her achievement.