Bhubaneswar, August 8, 2026: Community leader, businesswoman and social worker Mrs Rekha Senapati, who hails from Berhampur, Odisha, has been honoured with the prestigious British Citizen Award – The People’s Choice at the House of Lords, Palace of Westminster, London.
The award was presented by TV presenter and journalist Matt Allwright and Dame Mary Perkins, founder of Specsavers. Mrs Senapati was the only Indian-born British Hindu among the 26 medalists receiving the honour.
She has received numerous awards and accolades for her outstanding community service, both locally and in the United Kingdom, over the years. She has been honoured with several prestigious awards over the past few years in recognition of her valuable contributionsto the community. Her recent recognitions include the Mayor’s Citizen Award, which she received from the Mayor of Salford in Manchester in May this year. She was also honoured with the Shakti Public Service Star Award at an event held in Manchester in March this year.
With over 25 years of voluntary service, she has supported hospice patients, women from ethnic communities, children with complex disabilities and disadvantaged communities across Greater Manchester and the UK. She has also raised funds for health charities,supported homeless charities with food donations, and used cultural and creative events to promote inclusion.
Through her leadership, Ratha Yatra has grown into a major Hindu religious and cultural event in Greater Manchester and the North West, featuring in the Hindu calendar for the past eight years. She has also been actively involved in singing and dancing formore than two decades.
Mrs Senapati holds a Master’s degree in Political Science from Berhampur University, Odisha. She hails from a respected family with deep roots in Berhampur and is the daughter of Shri Kotni Nirmal Kumar and Smt. Kotni Prabhavati. She is the daughter-in-lawof the late Shri Somonath Senapati and late Smt. Padmavati Senapati and is married to Professor Siba Senapati, a renowned weight-loss surgeon based in Manchester, United Kingdom.
Speaking after receiving the award, Mrs Senapati said, “I am deeply honoured and humbled to receive this award. This recognition inspires me to continue serving the community with compassion and dedication.”
Her guiding motto is “Sarve Sukhino Bhavantu” – May all be happy. The national recognition is a proud moment for the Indian diaspora, Odisha and Berhampur, and celebrates the valuable contribution of Indians to British society.
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