By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR:The Bansidhar and Ila Panda Foundation (BIPF) is inviting applications from individuals, groups of individuals, and organizations working in the social sector for the 13 th Shambhavi Puraskar. The award includes a cash prize of ₹5,00,000, a citation, and a trophy, while the Jury Commendation Certification carries a cash award of ₹1,00,000 along with a citation.
The Shambhavi Puraskar was instituted by BIPF in 2014 to encourage and inspire champions of social transformation who drive impactful change in communities at grassroots. Over the last decade, through this award, BIPF has supported changemakers to widen their reach by exposing them to a wider network of social investors and organizations.
This year, BIPF has introduced a new focus on social innovation to encourage
startups, entrepreneurs, students, NGOs, CSR professionals, and organizations that
have devised unconventional, technology-driven solutions to address challenges in
education, healthcare, livelihoods, water and sanitation, women’s empowerment,
and advocacy for community well-being.
The selection is based on criteria such as the impact created, sustainability,
community participation, scalability, innovation, and the number of beneficiaries. An
independent jury panel comprising esteemed leaders from the government,
academia, industry, media, and a representative from BIPF adjudicate the winners
every year.
Interested applicants can find details and forms for the Shambhavi Puraskar on our
website www.bipf.org. The last date of submission is November 30, 2025.
Bansidhar and Ila Panda Foundation (BIPF) was established in 2011 to implement
sustainable and scalable interventions in the areas of health, education, livelihood,
and water and sanitation, undertaken by the Indian Metals and Ferro Alloys Ltd.
Today, BIPF is a premier on-ground implementation partner in Odisha. It collaborates
with the Central and State governments, and local and international organizations to
implement programs that aim to develop the marginalized and underserved
communities of the state. Since its inception, BIPF has made a significant impact in
Odisha.
