Tata Steel Meramandali (TSM) celebrated Maha Bishuba Sankranti, popularly known as Pana Sankranti, marking the Odia New Year with great fervour and community spirit. The celebration, brought together employees, their families and members of the local community in a vibrant and inclusive gathering.
The event was graced by Shri Udaya Kumar Mohapatra, Additional District Magistrate, Angul, as the Chief Guest, and attended by noted writer Dr Puspalata Ratha, and Sujit Mohapatra, founder of Bakul Foundation, as speakers.
Sarpanchas from nearby panchayats, including Renubala Dhir from Nuahata, Harapriya Senapati from Nuagaon, Anita Nayak from Kusupanga, Kanakabala Rout from Mangalpur, Sabitri Dalei from Kharagprasad, Sailendri Amat from Sanjapada, Manas Mahakud from Sibapur, and Pratap Pradhan from Paik Puruna Kote, were in attendance.
Mohit Das, Chief of Corporate Services at TSM; Anoop Srivastava, Chief of Environment at TSM; Ambika Prasad Nanda, Head of CSR at Tata Steel, Odisha; and other dignitaries also graced the occasion.
As part of the celebrations, a series of engaging competitions were organized for community members, including Jhoti design and Pitha preparation for women, along with painting and debate contests on cultural aspects of Odisha among children. These cultural activities were coordinated by the Tata Steel Foundation (TSF) team in close collaboration with the local community. Winners were felicitated during the main event in recognition of their enthusiastic participation and contributions.
Employees and children from the housing colony of the plant also actively took part in similar competitions to celebrate the Odia New Year.
The celebration featured vibrant cultural performances by children from both the community and the housing colony, highlighting the region’s rich traditions and the talents of the younger generation. The event also witnessed participation from PRI members, and key opinion leaders, further strengthening the collaborative bond between Tata Steel Meramandali and the community. PRI leaders and jury members who supported the competitions were also felicitated for their contributions. More than 400 people including children, community members and employees were present on this occasion.
