The grand affair of Virtual International Odisha Parba 2022, organised by Odia Samaj New Delhi, was celebrated with much pomp and fanfare. Millions of Odias from all over the world tuned in to watch the largest celebration of Odisha’s culture, tradition and heritage, making it a grand success. The two-day long extravaganza was held on 26th-27th March 2022. 

The inaugural ceremony was organised on Day 1 at Kamani Auditorium in New Delhi in the august presence of Chief Guest Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Hon’ble Minister of Education, Skill Development & Entrepreneurship; Guest of Honour Padma Bhushan Smt Pratibha Ray along with Shri Sidhartha Pradhan, President of Odia Samaj. 

The rest of the programme carried forward on a virtual mode and continued to enthrall the audience with cultural items like Dhap-traditional Sambalpuri folk dance; Tandanu- the Odissi and Bharatnatyam fusion dance; high energy group dance presented by Odia Society of Tanzania and OSA, Georgia; performances from international Odia communities from Russia, Saudi Arabia and the UK won people’s hearts.

Odia startup founders – Dr. Sarthak Patnaik of Lyflink & Sports Science India and Mr. Ananda Kumar Mishra of Grozip, a Grocery and Essentials online store, shared stories of their struggles, challenges and achievements. Sukirti Patnaik, founder of Indulge Salons & Odisha’s first Bridal Mall – an established brand in the beauty business in Odisha, inspired millions of young women aspiring to be entrepreneurs. Under the feature” Ordinary people, Extraordinary talent”,  IT developer turned artist Priyanka Sahani & Bike Modifier Ganga Pattnayak shared their interesting stories.

A film on the Covidcare Outreach Programme of Odia Samaj was screened, showcasing various commendable steps taken by Odia Samaj to help the Odia community effectively tackle the impact of the Covid -19 pandemic. 

The Virtual International Odisha Parba 2022 also featured short films beautifully highlighting Odisha’s spectacular Beaches, Dams, Archeological Marvels, Waterfalls, Shaktipeethas, Shiva Temples, Wildlife, etc., which were a great hit with the audience.

Inspiring messages from Padma Awardees like Padma Shri Shyamamani Devi, Padma Shri Aditya Prasad Dash & Padma Shri Pramod Bhagat, Padma Shri Srimad Baba Balia and Padma Shri Narasingha Prasad Guru motivated the viewers across the globe.

The musical gala night saw many popular singers like Suresh Wadkar, Pankaj Jal, Krishna Beuraa, Arpita Choudhary, Abhijit Mishra, Abhijeet Majumdar, Satyajit Pradhan, Sohini Mishra, Sashank Shekhar, and Neha Niharika making the audience groove with their soulful voices and melodious music.