Raipur : The Greater Odia Samaj of Chhattisgarh elected Renowned Social Leader and Noted Philanthropist Purandar Mishra as President. In a Mass Convention of Odia inhabitants of Chhattisgarh held at Raipur recently, Shri Mishra and other Office bearers of the Samaj were choosen unanimously to run the newly founded Organisation. The Greater Odia Samaj has been formed with the representatives of 24 Odia communities representing 35 Lakhs of Odia people staying in Chhattisgarh. The communities are Brahmin, Kolta, Saunra, Gauda, Mahakul, Gaadaa, Ghasi Ghasia, Yadav, Dhobi, Kevat, Meher, Teli, Sonar, Sodhi, Maali, Naai, Khadia, Binjhawar, Kharra, Kumbhar, Kansaari, Kodaa, Bhuyan and Mohanty.
In the Raipur Conclave organised at the premises of Jagannath Temple in Gayatri Nagar, it was decided that all the Odias residing in Chhattisgarh should come under one major umbrella Association with an aim of ensuring their safety, security and interest, protection of their self esteem and pride and furtherance of their all round development. Before taking over the Presidentship of Greater Odia Samaj, the Founder of largest Jagannath Temple in Chhattisgarh Purandar Mishra was heading the Brahmin Samaj of the State. Other Office bearers of the Samaj include Vice Presidents Wakil Tandi and Vinod Kumar Nayak, General Secretary Raj Kumar Gupta, Organising Secretaries Satyadev Sharma and Lalit Pradhan,
Secretaries Ishwar Khamhari and Rishabh Bagarti, Treasurer Kamalakanta Bhoi, Joint Treasurer Shashi Kumar Khuntia, Mentors Narayan Prasad Nairoji, Santosh Sahoo and Gunanidhi Satpathy, Spokesperson Dr Ashok Pradhan, Legal Advisors Tikendra Pradhan and Bhagabanu Nayak, Media Incharge Byasa Dev Bhoi, Bastar Division Incharge Nityananda Mishra, Durg Division Incharge Dr Pradeep Patra, Raipur Division Incharge Ashok Bharati, Bilaspur Division Incharge Girdhari Sahoo and Sarguja Division Incharge Shyam Sahoo.
Addressing the Mega Meeting Newly Elected President Purandar Mishra observed that the 35 Lakhs Odia voters in Chhattisgarh have paramount influence in 32 Assembly constituencies spreading over 10 districts. Though Odia community people play a decisive role in Chhattisgarh politics still then they use to be neglected and ignored by the power establishment, he alleged. Expressing his deep anguish, Shri Mishra said that when Odias contribute a lot for the advancement of social, cultural, political and economical sectors of Chhattisgarh, their contributions are largely overlooked by the administration. It is shocking that Odias are invariably and consistently denied their due recognitions and positions in the State, Shri Mishra underlined. Shri Mishra declared that the just formed Greater Odia Samaj shall fight for the justice in favour of Odia community, strive hard to mitigate their genuine grievances and shall try its best to fulfil their reasonable demands. Satyadev Sharma conducted the entire proceedings of the summit in a smooth and seamless manner.
