BIPF celebrates fifteen years by rewarding outstanding grassroots social workers
Bansidhar and Ila Panda Foundation recently celebrated a major milestone by completing fifteen years of dedicated service to marginalized communities. To mark this special occasion, they hosted the thirteenth edition of the prestigious Shambhavi Puraskar 2026 at Mayfair Convention Bhubaneswar. This annual event throws a spotlight on exceptional individuals and groups driving positive change across the state. Odisha Deputy CM Pravati Parida graced the ceremony as the chief guest, while Jayant Rastogi from Magic Bus India Foundation joined as the guest of honour. During the gathering, officials also released a special coffee table book documenting the long journey of BIPF social impact.
Celebrating True Grassroots Heroes
Focusing on real-world change, the foundation presented its top honour to two remarkable organisations. Sathee Parivar earned recognition for their relentless battle against snakebite deaths in Angul district. By forming village response teams and training nearly ten thousand volunteers, they successfully saved 490 lives over the last three years. Meanwhile, Balangir Gramodyog Samiti (BGS) won praise for empowering local farmers in Tureikela Block. Their dedicated team worked closely with government agriculture departments to help thousands of villagers switch to high-value crops, ultimately boosting rural incomes and promoting climate-resilient farming. Both Sathee Parivar and Balangir Gramodyog Samiti (BGS) were honoured with the Shambhavi Puraskar 2026, each receiving ₹5 lakh, a citation and a crest.
Spotlighting Exceptional Women Leaders
Organisers also handed out a special Jury Commendation to Dr Sasmita Meher from Bargarh. She took home a cash prize of one lakh rupees for her brilliant work in reviving traditional Odisha textiles. By adapting ancient weaving techniques for modern markets, she actively promotes women empowerment Odisha by helping nearly a hundred rural women secure a stable livelihood. Furthermore, the event celebrated young talent by giving the Youth Icon award to Sarmilata and Yamuna Pradhan. These inspiring sisters from Kandhamal district use the power of football to empower local girls and boldly fight against the practice of child marriage.
Leaders Praise Collaborative Development
Addressing the audience, Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida delivered a powerful message about community action. She pointed out how small, consistent efforts in remote pockets of the state can trigger massive transformations. Her speech highlighted how this grassroots social work Odisha directly supports government campaigns against deep-rooted issues like malnutrition and early marriages. Furthermore, she urged the younger generation to step up and tackle emerging crises, particularly the growing mental health challenges faced by society today.
Building Better Futures Together
Foundation CEO Shaifalika Panda reflected on their fifteen-year journey, noting that real development always revolves around people. Since its launch, the Bansidhar Ila Panda Foundation has actively improved the lives of over 2.7 million rural citizens across 690 villages. They run popular community development initiatives like the Kanya Express mobile health van to fight anaemia among young girls. Adding to this sentiment, Jayant Rastogi praised the foundation for spotting and nurturing hidden leadership, explaining that true national progress begins when forgotten citizens finally see hope for their future.
