As the year comes to an end, it’s the time to bid farewell with a positive note. In the outgoing year, some individual hogged the headline for their extra ordinary activities which influenced and motivate many.
Let’s recall some of them and recount their good vibes.
Raimati Ghiuria, The Queen Of Millet
Raimati Ghiuria, an ordinary tribal woman from Koraput drew the attention of all when she found a place among the delegates at G20 summit in Delhi. Raimati, who preserved 30 varieties of millet grains, was invited to participate in a session at the G20 Summit held on September 9, 2023.
She actively engaged in the summit, earning the title “Queen of Millet” from her local residents. Raimati got an opportunity to meet President Draupadi Murmu at the G20 event. The President gave her thumbs up for her novel initiative.
Dr. Shankar Ramchandani opens ‘Jay Kishan clinic’
Doctor Shankar Ramchandani, an assistant professor of medicine at VIMSAR, who is considered as the friend of poor patients in need, moved one step ahead in his mission to provide medical consultation at Re 1. Beside running his Re 1 clinic for poor patients, the young doctor opened a special facility for the farming community, named ‘Jay Kisan Clinic in Bargarh.
He has reserved two hours from 6 am to 8 am every Wednesday for the farmers, who can avail the treatment and medicine at the same cost of Re 1. The objective of the new clinic is to ensure that the farming time of the cultivators is not hampered.
Snehamayee Acharya: A Hope For Distressed Mentally-Challenged Women
Snehamayee Acharya, a woman of Jagatsinghpur turned out to be a messiah for distressed especially mentally challenged women. She established a trust – Vyas Foundation Trust – to help hapless women living with mental illness. Though she doesn’t help anyone financially, she knocks the right doors to channel assistance for the needy.
Acharya struggles to ensure justice for mentally challenged women facing atrocities and ensures help reaches them. With the help of some local volunteers, she has so far helped facilitate treatment for 12 mentally challenged women in the district. The trust runs with the funds provided by her husband.
Harshita Priyadarshini- The Seed Girl Of Odisha
Harshita Priyadarshini, a Class VII girl from Jeypore in Koraput earned appreciation from every sector for her novel initiative to promote ancient food grain millets.
Harshita caught the public attention in recently held International millet convention in Bhubaneswar with her varieties of traditional food grains which she perseveres for the promotion.
Her stall displaying her millet collections witnessed a huge footfall, while she was seen busy making the public aware of the nutritious ancient cereals.
She successfully collected 80 species of millets in only eight months and preserved them in separate small bowls. She found a place in the Global Symposium on Farmers’ Rights held in September in New Delhi to showcase her collections. She said the symposium was graced by President Droupadi Murmu. Various kinds of Ragi, over hundred varieties of paddy grains and wide range of millets add beauty to her grain bank. At the ICM, grains like Bajra, sunya rice, little millet, Chilika, Kutinga, Barasi, Bhairabi, Badheli, Majala and many more became the cynosure of all eyes at ICM. Public considered her as the ‘Seed Girl of Odisha’.
‘Bartan Bank’, Bargarh Woman Sarpanch’s Unique Move To Make A Plastic Free Panchayat
A woman sarpanch of Bhaleswar panchayat in Nuapada was in the limelight for her novel idea to make the village free from plastic. Sarpanch Devi Agrawal made a provision to replace steel utensils with single-use plastic in any social or religious function in the village. With the help of villagers, she gathered various kinds of utensils and kitchen cookware which she called ‘Bartan Bank.’Villagers can collect the utensils on rent at a minimum price during any community feast and have to return them after the celebration. Now, there are 150 steel plates, 150 bowls, 150 glass and spoons with other cookware in the inventory. Her unique idea for a plastic free panchayat has earned applause across the State.
Cuttack Girl Saini Mishra, A New Hope For Abandoned Stray Animals
A job at prestigious tech firm like Infosys is the dream of every IT professionals. But such a lucrative job turned meaningless for 28-year-old Saini Mishra of Cuttack to help abandoned and stray animals. During lockdown, she left job and turned her attention to help the voiceless animals.
She set up a shelter home where injured stray animals are being nursed back to health. The shelter home called Susrusha For Furry Friends at CDA in Cuttack is home to injured stray dogs and cats, neglected or abused pets and orphaned or abandoned puppies and kittens. She said she received around 10 calls a day from around the city and outside to rescue stray hapless animals.
