Two-Day “Gems of Odisha 2025” Celebrated to Showcase Hidden Talents of Women and Differently-Abled Individuals

Bhubaneswar: The two-day event “Gems of Odisha India 2025” was successfully celebrated at Tampara near Chhatrapur.

The event was graced by Dr. Sunita Wadhawan, Sudha Chandrani Khatri, Dr. Bhuvaneshwari Dewangan, founder Anita Mandal, and organizer Umashankar Das, among others.

Celebrity judges included actor Harihar Das and actress Suryamayee Mohapatra, while actress Archita Sahu served as the brand ambassador. The event was hosted by Shubhojit Panda, with Mr. Pranaya Jethi, Creative Head (TV & Media Planner), present as advisor.

In the Queen Category, Shraddha Pradhan from Sambalpur was crowned the winner, while Dr. Monalisa Mishra from Bhubaneswar and Savita Rani Mallik were declared first and second runners-up respectively. In the Shree Shakti Category, Mahima Sahare from Chhattisgarh emerged as the winner, with Malati Jaiswal and Vaibhavi as first runners-up, and Ranjana Nahak — a differently-abled participant from Berhampur — as second runner-up.

Every woman has dreams and aspirations, but due to various circumstances, many are unable to express or pursue them. To bring their hidden talents into the limelight, Gems of Odisha, based in Bhubaneswar, began this noble initiative. The program was founded by Mr. Umakanta Das and his wife and co-organizer Mrs. Anita Mandal.

Over the past two months, women, young girls, and differently-abled participants from Odisha and other states including Chhattisgarh, Goa, Mumbai, and Bengaluru were trained by professional trainers in yoga, beauty, and other skill-based events. The finalists were shortlisted by a panel of judges after multiple rounds of evaluation.

At the inauguration ceremony, chief guest Sharmistha Pradhan, Chairperson of Chhatrapur NAC, along with advocate Chandrasekhar Reddy and jury members Dr. Sunita Wadhawan, Sudha Chandini Khatri, and Dr. Bhuvaneshwari Dewangan attended and appreciated the initiative, calling for it to be expanded further. The event was coordinated by host Shubhojit Panda.

The program was divided into two segments — Rani (Queen Category) and Shree Shakti (for differently-abled participants).