BHUBANESWAR: The Mahatma Award, which recognises outstanding contribution to society, was conferred on Raisah Ila Panda and Raemana Rashna Panda for the year 2025 in the ‘Youth Leadership in Social Responsibility and Social Impact’ category at New Delhi recently.
Raisah and Raemana, daughters of IMFA managing director Subhrakant Panda and Shaifalika Panda, founded STRIVE in 2018 which works for empowerment of the marginalised. Using football as a medium to transform children’s lives, STRIVE also imparts livelihood training to women under the National Urban Livelihoods Mission (NULM).
Speaking on the award, Raisah Ila Panda said empowerment is about creating opportunities for others to shine. “My sister, Raemana, and I are humbled to receive this recognition and are committed to continue our journey of making the world more equitable and sustainable,” she said.
The award ceremony was graced by former LG of Puducherry Kiran Bedi; director of the National Gandhi Museum, Rajghat, A Annamalai; CMD of Konkan Railway Corporation Santosh Kumar Jha; and philanthropist and lawyer who instituted the award under the aegis of the Mahatma Foundation Amit Sachdeva.
Notable recipients of the Mahatma Awards 2025 in other categories include activist and noted classical dancer Mallika Sarabhai and chairman of Cipla Dr Yusuf Hamied.