Times Power Women Odisha 2023: Celebrating the remarkable achievements of outstanding women of the state

What happens when extraordinary women, with stellar contributions to society, are brought together on the same platform? Remarkable women gathered at Hotel Swosti Premium on June 28, Wednesday, as the Times Group felicitated them for their extraordinary contributions to the state, society, and environment.
The second edition of Times Power Women Odisha 2023 was presented by Khimji Jewellers and attended by Honourable Governor of Odisha, Prof.Ganeshi Lal, Development Commissioner & Additional Chief Secretary Anu Garg and Prof Omkar Nath Mohanty, Eminent Academician and Ex VC- BPUT Odisha. Renowned actor Rakulpreet Singh also attended the event and presented the award to the achievers.
Lauding the women achievers, the Governor said, “Women can do the impossible. She is the cosmic energy that resonates through every person.” Further, talking about the progress of the state, he said that while the nation and other countries fight amongst themselves for resources in the future, Odisha will stand tall and shine brighter because of its resilience.

Mitesh Khimji, Director, Khimji Jewellers
Further congratulating the women, IAS Anu Garg said, “We are working towards transforming many things in the state. We want to make sure that women are not mere beneficiaries in the field of empowerment, but equal partners.”

Eminent Bollywood Actress Rakulpreet
Prof. Mohanty said, “In many of the villages, women are not even allowed to be born. Therefore, the cause of women empowerment is essential for society. We have to together fight against the evils that women face.”
Bollywood sensation Rakulpreet was mesmerised by the presence of such powerful personalities and said that she was honoured to be a part of the event.
List of Winners:

Padma Shri Tulasi Munda, Padma Shri Purnamasi Jani, Padma Shri Kumkum Mohanty
Padma Shri Tulasi Munda
Tulasi Munda was a child labourer in the mines of Keonjhar. However, after breaking many barriers, she decided to teach children in Odisha’s iron ore mining area. By 1964, Munda started an informal school and over the next 50 years, she established many schools and imparted education to over 20,000 children.
Padma Shri Purnamasi Jani
Purnamasi Jani, also known as Tadisaru Bai, is an Odisha-born poet and social activist. She was born in 1944. She has written more than 50,000 religious songs in Sanskrit, Kui, and Odia. She received the Padma Shri honour from the Indian government in 2021.
Padma Shri Kumkum Mohanty
The queen of Abhinaya in Odisha, Kumkum Mohanty is a disciple of Padma Bhushan awardee Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra. She was awarded the Padma Shri in 2005 for her contribution to the field of dance. She formerly served as the Government of Odisha's special secretary for culture.

Padma Shri Sabarmatee, Krushna Mohanty, Padma Shri Shyamamani Devi
Padma Shri Sabarmatee
Noted Indian conservationist and farmer Sabarmatee was conferred with the Padma Shri along with her father Radha Mohan, in recognition of their decades-long efforts to transform a barren land into a lush food forest in Odisha’s Nayagarh district.
Krushna Mohanty
Krushna Mohanty is a noted social activist and the daughter of freedom fighter and former Chief Minister Nabakrushna Choudhury. Mohanty has always felt a connection to the Bajiraut Chhatravas in Angul, which her mother founded. Since 1996, she has been working to advance the Chhatravas and the Utkal Navajeevan Mandal.
Padma Shri Shyamamani Devi
A recipient of the Padma Shri Award in 2022, Shyamamani Devi, a noted Odissi Classical music vocalist and composer, is a disciple of Gurus Singhari Shyamsundar Kar and Balakrushna Dash. She is known for her popular renditions of classical Odissi music.

Dr. Gayatribala Panda, Dr. Sruti Mohapatra, Sulochana Das
Gayatribala Panda
Her first poem was published when she was just 12. Over the years, Gayatribala Panda became a well-known poet, fiction writer, and journalist in Bhubaneshwar. She is the recipient of the first Kendra Sahitya Akademi “Yuva Puraskar” in Odia for her poetry collection “GAAN”.
Sruti Mohapatra
Popularly called the Crusader in a wheelchair, Sruti Mohapatra, Disability Rights Activist From Odisha, is a former Chairperson of the Odisha State Commission for the Protection of Child Rights. She was conferred with the Nari Shakti Puraskar award in 2022 for her invincible spirit and distinctive contributions towards the upliftment and empowerment of Divyangjan.
Sulochana Das
A former journalist, Sulochana Das joined Biju Janata Dal in 2017. In a historic turn of events, she became the first mayor of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation in 2020. Under her regime, BMC has registered more than 24% growth in revenue generation in 2022-23.

Dr. Harpreet Kaur, Shalini Kothakonda, Dr. Itirani Samanta
Dr Harpreet Kaur
Dr Harpreet Kaur is an advanced laparoscopic gynaecologist and a high-risk obstetrician. She is currently working at the AMRI Hospital as a senior consultant. Previously, she worked as Senior Consultant Advanced Laparoscopic Surgeon & Infertility Specialist at RG Stone & Laparoscopy Hospital, Faridabad, Delhi NCR.
Shalini Kothakonda
The CMD of Shree Hospitals, Bhubaneshwar, Shalini Kothakonda has shown exemplary skills in people management. A health sector entrepreneur, she has set an amazing example of work ethics and integrity and has chosen to be a champion for the cause of economic and social independence of women.
Dr Itirani Samanta
An entrepreneur, novelist, writer, editor and director of Kadambini Media, Dr Itirani Samanta started her life in abject poverty. However, her social and financial circumstances did not deter her from working towards her aspirations. Writing was her love. In a literary career of over two decades, she has written and published more than 20 books, all of which have received great reviews.

Purnima Baid, Nirupama Biswal, Ruchi Jalan
Purnima Baid
Purnima Baid, the Mall Director of Utkal Kanika Galleria Mall in Bhubaneswar, is an exemplary individual known for her unwavering determination and dynamic personality. Her dedication to providing an exceptional customer experience in the mall, coupled with her commitment to community service, has made her a role model in the industry.
Nirupama Biswal
A foodie and travel freak entrepreneur, Nirupama Biswal and her organization Gayatridevi Group is marching ahead to set new milestones every year and has evolved as a promising brand in Odisha. Started as an electrical construction company in 1999, the organization has grown and become a leading service provider to Govt, PSU and other corporates in the domain of EPC, designing, commissioning and construction. Recently, they have ventured into the space of office furniture, fixture and fabrication. Thanks to Biswal’s passion for food and beverages, she is now also successfully running the popular coffee and restaurant chain BIG CUP CAFÉ.
Ruchi Jalan
Ruchi Jalan, the CEO & Director of Odyssey Motors, has been responsible for the growth of not only one company but the entire group. Under her tutelage, the company has grown exponentially and has been ranked one of the best dealers in Odisha.

Dr Swetapadma Dash, Dr. Ipseeta Satpathy, Suma Devi Dash
Dr Swetapadma Dash
Dr Swetapadma Dash, the visionary CEO of SUM Ultimate Medicare (SUMUM), is a trailblazer in the healthcare industry. With a gold medal and a PhD in clinical psychology, her profound knowledge and strong connection with people have propelled SUMUM to new heights. Dr Dash's dynamic leadership and incremental vision have transformed SUMUM into a formidable 350-bed multi-speciality healthcare destination.
Dr. Ipseeta Satpathy
Dr. Ipseeta Satpathy is the winner of Oxford Journal Distinguished Research Professor Award 2014. She was also a visiting professor at Lynchburg College Virginia, USA, and was invited to speak at Charlton Business School, Dartmouth. A former faculty member of the Board Of Management at KIIT University, she has published numerous articles in national and international publications.
Suma Devi Dash
Suma, an Electrical Engineering graduate from IIT Kharagpur, went to the USA to get an MBA at the prestigious Wharton school. She lived in the USA for several years and worked at prestigious organizations. However, when at the peak of the pandemic, she decided to move back to Odisha to lead Ashwini through the Covid response. With the mission to modernize and diversify Ashwini Group, Suma is spearheading new age, digital-enabled projects such as Ashwini Wellness, Ashwini Pharmacy, Tattva while bringing innovation and quality standards to scale Ashwini Hospitals to new heights.

Aboli Naravane (IAS) and Sagarika Nath (IPS)
Sagarika Nath (IPS)
Young and dynamic Sagarika Nath (IPS), Superintendent of Police, Balasore, did not leave the spot of the recent train tragedy for three days till the rescue work had ended completely. Her exemplary show of strength during these tragic times instilled a sense of hope and faith among people.
Aboli Naravane (IAS)
In a three-minute performance focused on raising awareness about the importance of educating the girl child, instead of marrying them off, Aboli Naravane (IAS), Collector & DM Jharsuguda, conveyed an important social message. She incorporated a popular Hindi song — that talks about the prevention of violence against women and minor girls – into her performance to convey the message.

Dipti Mahapatro, Dr Sujata Sahu, Manjulita Nayak
Dipti Mahapatro
Dipti Mahapatro, Ex General Manager of Capital Region Urban Transport-Bhubaneswar, is a recipient of the UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour Award 2022. She was honoured with this prestigious award for her remarkable leadership in turning a failing public-private transport service into an inclusive, accessible, and cleaner mass rapid transit system.
Dr Sujata Sahu
Dr Sujata Sahu joined as the Principal and Asst Regional Officer of DAV Chandrasekharpur in May. She started her illustrious teaching career at DAV Chandrasekharpur in 1990 and was the Vice- Principal for many years. Apart from the prestigious National Award to Teachers in 2011, Dr Sahu has also been honoured with the Pride of DAV, Rashtriya Ekta Samman, Nari Shakti Samman, Best Principal Award and many more for her outstanding contributions to academics.
Manjulita Nayak
A dynamic woman with a passion for serving people, Manjulita Nayak did a lot of work in the field of literature and social work. She started her life as an entrepreneur and became the first woman to join hands with the Rourkela Steel Plant in its first phase of modernization.

Sofia Firdous, Lipika Singh Darai, Amiyabala Parida
Sofia Firdous
Sofia Firdous is the Director of Metro Group, a pioneer in real estate since 1993. A civil engineer, she has completed her Executive General Management from IIM Bangalore. Sofia is the next generation of entrepreneurs who joined the business in 2013. She dons multiple roles and oversees operations, management, marketing, and overall business development.
Lipika Singh Darai
With four national awards under her belt, filmmaker Lipika Singh Darai started off as a sound recordist. She received the 57th National Film Awards for audiography in 2010 in the non-fiction category when she was just a student at FTII. Her short story "The Waterfall" highlights the growing separation between people and the environment.
Amiyabala Parida
Tragedy fell on Amiyabala Parida when her only son Master Girija passed away in a road accident in 2019. Devastated by this immense loss, she faced another tragedy when her husband, Chandiprasad Bag, passed away in 2020. Despite these heart-wrenching setbacks, Amiyabala displayed immense strength and resilience and established the Master Girija Road Safety Foundation Trust to raise awareness about road safety.

Nilanjana Mukherjee, Dr.Neeta Mohanty, Dr. Madhuri Patnaik
Ms Nilanjana Mukherjee
Ms Nilanjana Mukherjee is the Managing Director of KALINGA HOSPITAL LIMITED (KHL), Bhubaneswar. KHL is one of the pioneers of a state-of-the-art multi-speciality hospital committed to providing compassionate healthcare at an affordable cost to the people of Odisha and adjoining regions.
Dr Neeta Mohanty
An alumna of Dr R Ahmed Dental College & Hospital, Kolkata, Dr Neeta Mohanty is serving as the Dean of Dental Sciences and Department chair of Oral Pathology and Microbiology at Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan. She was awarded the honorary title ‘The Name in Science’ by the Socrates Committee Oxford, U.K in 2016. She was also awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Indian Dental Association and conferred fellowship by the Academy of Dentistry International in 2018.
Dr Madhuri Patnaik
A gold medalist, Dr Madhuri Patnaik pursued her MBBS from V.M.K.V Medical College, Salem (Tamil Nadu). She has also pursued advanced courses like Fellow of Minimal Access Surgeons of India and Fellow of Indian Association Of GI Endosurgeons. She has nearly 10 years of experience in General Surgical and Onco Surgery practice.

Sunita Behera, Sasmita Sarkar, Namita Toppo
Sunita Behera
Sunita Behera is empowering women by providing them with martial arts training. She established the Kalinga Kanya Paika Akhada to teach women martial arts and protect them against any adversity. By training women in various forms of martial arts including judo, karate, sword-fighting, stick fighting, and others, this institution is taking forward the age-old martial art forms.
Sasmita Sarkar
Although times are changing, we rarely see women in male-dominated job roles. However, Sasmita Sarkar, Goods Train Manager, Indian Railways, Khurda Road Division has proved otherwise. She was appointed to her position in 2019 and since then, has been managing the division with ease and excellence.
Namita Toppo
Since making her senior team debut in 2012, midfielder Namita Toppo played 168 matches for the Indian women’s hockey team. Toppo made her state debut in 2007 and was subsequently chosen for the Girls U-18 Asia Cup in Bangkok, Thailand, where she was a member of the team that won the bronze medal.

Research Methodology
An in-depth survey has been conducted by an independent research agency named i3RC Insights Pvt. Ltd.. i3RC has developed a nominee assessment form and an objective analytical framework to assess the noinees for Times Power Women Odisha various categories. The assessment focuses on general profile and background of the nominees, the kind of work being done with focus on innovation and unique value propositions, contribution to business world/ industry and society at large. In addition, feedback of each nominee was assessed through multiple tools such as social media profile scan and customers/ colleagues or public feedback. All data was objectively analyzed to assess eligibility and suitability of the nominee for the award.
Disclaimer: The article has been produced on behalf of Times Power Women by the Times Internet's Spotlight team.