Bhubaneswar, May 03, 2024: Mr. Ranjit Majhi has been honored with Shambhavi Award 2024 for his outstanding contribution in the field of implementation of Forest Rights Act by Sundhidar and Ila Panda Foundation (BIPF). Along with this, Ms. Sasmita Mangaraj has been honored with a jury citation for playing a major role in empowering women at the grassroots level in terms of livelihood and self-reliance.
On this occasion, Shrimati Chetana Sinha, Chairperson of Man Desi Bank and Man Desi Foundation, Maharashtra, was the Chief Guest and Lt. Gen. Chandi Prasad Mohanty, Chief of the 42nd Sub-Army and Member of the Armed Forces Tribunal in Delhi, attended as the guest of honour.
The chief guest of the event, Ms. Chetna Sinha, Chairperson of Man Deshi Bank and Man Deshi Foundation, said, “Real change starts with a bold step, but the small steps of these humble heroes have brought about a huge change in the lives of the poor and the elderly. As we honor these humble heroes, we commemorate every step taken towards empowerment and a ray of hope created by the trend of social change.”
Similarly, Mrs. Shefalika Panda, CEO and Trustee of Fulidhar and Ila Funda Foundation and Head of IMFA CSR (Special Initiative) said, “It is our responsibility to serve the elderly and take effective steps towards social change. The Shambavi Prize provides a platform to accelerate the vision and ambition of front-line social activists working at the grassroots level for collective development. “
Lt. Gen. Chandi Prasad Mohanty, Chief of the 42nd Sub-Army and Member of the Armed Forces Tribunal in Delhi, who was the guest of honor on the occasion, said, “On this occasion of honoring social changers for their outstanding contribution, we are working hard to promote upliftment and positive transformation of communities. The resilience and commitment of the people should also be honoured. The virtues of courage, discipline and honesty enshrined in the Shambhi Awards will play a major role in guiding the next generation.”
About the winners:
Shri Ranjit Majhi is empowering the people of 112 villages living in the forest areas of Sundergarh district for their rights over forest land and resources as well as promoting conservation and revitalization of the forest environment. His remarkable initiative and commitment towards raising the voice of the indigenous people has set a precedent in the field of forest land rights. In recognition of his undying passion for justice in forest land related matters and his unwavering dedication towards conserving and protecting the forests of Odisha, Swarup Fulidhar and Ila Panda Foundation presented him with an award and a cash sum of Rs 250,000.
Similarly, Ms. Sasmita Mangaraj has been awarded Jury Appreciation Letter 2024. Despite limited resources, she has formed 4 federations, 40 Self Help Groups (SHAGs) and engaged 400 beneficiaries in various livelihood related activities, which has helped these women become financially independent and improve their living standards. For outstanding contribution towards empowering women through long-term livelihood programmes, she has been presented with an award and a cash sum of Rs.
In 2014, the ‘Shambhi Award’ was started by Phulidhar and Ila Panda Foundation. The main objective of this award is to bring to the public the success of social work heroes who remain undeterred despite all the difficult challenges and inspire others to follow their path. Over the past decade, BIF has supported more than 20 change-makers through the Shambhavbi Awards and connected them to an influential network of social investors and organizations.
Eligible individuals for the award are selected based on criteria such as impact, sustainability, community engagement, measurement, innovation and stakeholders. A special judging panel consisting of representatives from government, academia, industry, media and BIPF selects the winners.
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