Bhubaneswar: In a grand ceremony held at Jayadeva Bhawan, Ekamra-Bhubaneswar MLA Babu Singh and distinguished education leaders converged to honour outstanding educators with the esteemed Odisha Ratna, Odisha Gaurav, and Odisha Icon awards.

Organized by CED India and NITI Ayog in collaboration with BOF, the event marked a significant milestone – the 5th anniversary of the National Education Policy, 2020 – by recognizing the invaluable contributions of educators to the state’s educational landscape. 

The event was enriched by the gracious presence of dignitaries like Dr. Hrushikesh Senapati, Former Director, NCERT; Shankar Goenka,MD, WOW Foundation; Smruti Patnaik, BJP Leader, Cuttack; Priyadarshi Nayak, Chairman, Sahodaya School Complex, Eastern Odisha & Executive Body Members.

The ceremony brought together approximately 100 exceptional educators who were felicitated for their unwavering dedication and commitment to nurturing the minds of future generations.

Among the distinguished awardees was Suman Jana, Vice Principal of Odisha Adarsha Vidyalaya, Shirsa, who received the Odisha Icon Award. With heartfelt gratitude, Jana dedicated his award to his institution and colleagues, reaffirming his unwavering pledge to continue striving for educational excellence in Odisha as a teacher-cum-administrator and inspiring others to follow the same. He is truly an inspiring young heart with many research papers who has many published papers beside his name, on the other hand, he has been working tirelessly to give a complete transformation to his present posting, i.e. OAV Shirsa and implementing new strategies to take it to a new height. The school has earned two district level awards for the first time under his leadership beside academic excellence of the intitution.

The Odisha Ratna, Odisha Gaurav, and Odisha Icon awards are designed to acknowledge and appreciate the outstanding work of educators in the state, fostering a culture of excellence and innovation in education. By recognizing the tireless efforts and dedication of educators, these awards serve as a testament to their unwavering commitment to shaping the future of Odisha.