On 1st June the Rotary International District 3262, Odisha organised a function to felicitate some outstanding Women Achievers of the state. Mrs Menaka Gandhi, former M P and former Minister in the Government of India graced the function as Chief Guest and felicitated 22 Women Achievers from various professions. Under the leadership of District Governor Rtn Yagyansis Mohapatra, First Lady Rtn Ittun Mohapatra, some Rotarians namely Rtn Dr Sumitra Mishra as chairperson, Rtn Sasmita Dash as co-chair, Rtn Col Sonali Rath as Chief Coordinator, and Rtn Akankshya Mohapatra as coordinator, organised the event successfully in the Guru Kelu Charan Mohapatra Odissi Research Centre, Bhubaneswar. Other notable Rotarians attending the event where IPDG Rtn Jayashree Mohanty, DGN Rtn Anil Samal, DGND Indrajit Sahu, Past Presidents, and members of Rotary District 3262 attended this function.
The women felicitated wereDr Lita Mohapatra- Innovator and Doctor, Ariiketh Foundation, Dr Sujata Kar- CEO, Kar Clinic , B K Geeta ji- Brahmakumari ,Ms Anuradha Biswal – Olympian athlete, Dr Dipti Routray- Dancer , Dr Sushama Mishra- Writer , Rashmi Sahoo- MD, Ruchi Spices Raimati Ghiuria- Millet Queen of Odisha , Smt Biyot Pragyan Tripathy – Film Maker, Nilanjana Mukherjee- MD, Kalinga Hospital , Ms Sweety Sahu- Transgender , Nivedita Satpathy- Founder of Meri Sakhi Orphanage, Panchmi Manoo Ukil- Vice-Chairperson, Wisdom Tree Global School ,Diana Sahu- Correspondent, New Indian Express ,Saini Mishra- Sushrusha for Animals ,Samikhya Pattanaik- Chief Reporter,P7,Dr Sanghamitra Pati- Addl Director,ICMR, Silka Selony – Snake Catcher , Kalyani Acharya- Artist, Smaranika Naik- Singer , PP Rtn Asha Mishra- Educationist, Kabita Mohapatra- Founder of Seva Sakha.
The function began with a mesmerising Odissi group dance choreographed by Dr Dipti Routray of the Biswanath Sangitalaya. Another group dance performed by the young boys of Parivartan Drug De-addiction centre and songs presented by FL Ittun Mohapatra and singer Smaranika
Naik kept the audience spellbound. The Women Achievers were felicitated by Mrs Menaka Gandhi , DG and First Lady. Each Felicita gave a brief acceptance speech promising to work harder to give back to the society whatever way they can. Mrs Menaka Gandhi addressed the audience and narrated her own experience as a woman, who had to break many barriers to carve a place for herself. She credited her mother for a sound upbringing that made her tolerant and compassionate. She appealed the audience to be kind to all beings, human or animal. To commemorate the occasion, a Souvenir titled NAREESHREE was unveiled. The ceremony ended with a rendering of the National Anthem.
