Inaugural Message:
sarva DharmAn parithyajya
mAm Ekam sharaNam vraja |
aham thvAm sarva pApEbhyO
mOkshayishyAmi mA shuchaha ||
As we start our job in our new positions, we surrender at the feet of the Lord, the Lord of the Universe, Lord Jagannath. Help us Lord, give us strength and the judgment and guide us to perform in our roles to to the best of our ability bringing glory to your (and our) land and culture.
Dear Outgoing OSA Executives, OSA BOG Members and Fellow OSA Members
Namaskar!
I and my team members Pradeep Mohapatra, Annapurna Pandey and Akhileswar Patel are very moved to feel the affection and confidence that you have shown towards us in electing us as OSA executives for 2009-2011.
We all consider it an honor and privilege to serve OSA and I can assure you that we take it very seriously our responsibilities as leaders of OSA. We wish to be accessible to our members, working with mutual respect and transparency to reach our goals.
The challenges we face as an organization are no different than those of other organizations. We choose to welcome these challenges and I am confident that with the guidance of the Board of Governors (BOG), help from our numerous volunteers and ideas from our membership, we will be able to meet all the challenges and remain a premier institution to establish Oriya identity around the world.
I would like to assure you that we will listen to your concerns and suggestions, and we will act as responsible heirs of the legacy of our founding fathers.
We are counting on your collaboration and support. By working together, we will continue to progress.
Our Theme
The theme we have chosen for the next two years is “Grace, Growth and Glory” and we will be concentrating our efforts on adding charm to OSA, making it bigger and stronger and making it an organization that its members are proud to belong to.
Grace
Growth
§ Timely contribution for OSA activities, programs and management
§ “Dollar a day” savings for OSA creating a OSA money bank and contributing that to OSA
Glory
Announcements
We are making the following announcements
1. Editorial Staff
Sridhar Rana, New Jersey will be OSA’s Editor-in-Chief for 2009-2011 OSA year. Sridhar has done an excellent job as an editor of 2009 OSA annual souvenir bringing innovative ideas. I am confident Sridhar will add excellence to OSA newsletter publications.
Dr Julie Acharya Ray, Utah will be our co-editor. Julie is an excellent singer and a writer with a record of volunteering service in OSA local communities as well as OSA National activities. I am confident Julie’s presence will bring fresh air to OSA National scene.
2. OSA Web Communications
It is my great pleasure to introduce Sarang Mahatwo of New Jersey as OSA Web Administrator. Sarang was the web administrator for 2009 OSA convention site. He has exceeded expectations in his performance. I am confident under Sarang’s leadership OSA website will play a vital role in glorifying OSA around the world and become a rich resource of information for members and non-members.
As we are going through the transition, OSA webpage will be updated frequently to include the changes. Please visit OSA web page often for the updated information. Earliest update will be available within a week or two from today.
3. Reduced OSA Membership Fee
In every two-year the newly elected executives get a chance to reduce the membership fee for membership growth. Here are the details of the reduced fee structure that is valid until March 31, 2010.
· Life membership is reduced to $200 from its regular rate of $300
· Patron fee is reduced to $500 from its regular rate of $600
Annual members, five-year members and life members can take advantage of this reduced membership rate and upgrade their membership.
Dear members, please share this information among your friends, local Oriya groups and other groups. For questions on upgrading membership or becoming a new member please contact OSA treasurer Dr Akhileswar Patel (contacts are given below).
4. OSA Legal Counsel
Mr Sujit K. Mohanty, Esq will serve as the Chief Legal Counsel for 2009-2011 OSA year. We thank Mr Mohanty for his dedication in serving OSA for 2007-2009 during the previous administration and we greatly appreciate his consent in serving the organization in this highly responsible position during OSA 2009-2011 administration.
5. OSA Finance Committee
OSA finance committee has been formed. Dr Padmanava Pradhan and Dhyanaranjan Patnaik of New Jersey have volunteered to serve in the committee together with Dr Akhileswar Patel as the chairman of the committee.
6. Other Committees
We are in the process of forming various committees for effective OSA management and program execution. Following committees are planned. We will soon be contacting members to volunteer for these committees. If you are interested to serve, please contact any one of the executive members (contacts given below).
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Committees |
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Advisory/OSA Management |
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Orissa Development |
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Education/Outreach |
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Events/Cultural |
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OSA Community Oriya Community Other Communities |
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Chapter Relations |
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Finance/Audit |
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Fundraising |
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Youth |
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Public Relations |
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Publication |
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Security |
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Parliamentarian |
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Historian |
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Language/Literature/Documents |
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Legal |
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Women’s Issues |
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Web |
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International Relations |
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Communication/OSAnet |
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Constitution |
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Convention Management |
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Membership/Member Relations/Mentorship |
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OSA Standards |
The month of July will be the construction period for the foundation of 2009-2011 administration. Whatever framework we put, would mostly be followed for these two years. Thus we request members to provide inputs before July 31, 2009 to any of the current OSA executives.
Appreciation
We wish to express our deep gratitude for OSA 2007-2009 executives. They have rendered a great service to the organization and proved themselves as sincere, dedicated volunteers. We do not want to lose them. We would like to retain them in the current administration in important volunteer positions.
We appreciate the volunteering hours put by the election committee members in serving in their roles efficiently and professionally.
We thank NYNJ chapter members for setting up an example as great Samaritans of OSA doing the hard work gracefully and touching every convention participant with affection and friendliness. The showcase of talents in various cultural events, the expression and distribution of knowledge in seminar sessions, the touch of love and affection in the dinning halls, the cooperation and collaboration in the backstage and on-stage are examples that reflect the true spirit of OSA. Thank you NYNJ volunteers for your spirit that will guide the future OSA with its radiance for many-many years.
Concluding Remarks
Now as we begin our term as OSA executives, we promise to prove ourselves worthy of your trust, always working to the best of our abilities and in the best interest of OSA members.
We intend to work in harmony with all the members of OSA to make it an organization you can be proud to belong to.
OSA is not me, not the four executives; OSA is US, the members that have put their love and trust nurturing the organization for the last 40 years. We all have to work together. Give us your ideas, and we will work together on “Grace, Growth and Glory” during these next two years.
I am confident we can count on your support.
Long Live OSA!
May Lord Jagannath shower His blessings for OSA and its members!
Sincerely,
Bigyani Das
President, OSA
On behalf of the New Executives
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Dr Bigyani Das, President Tel: (410) 531-7445 Email: bigyanidas_osa@yahoo.com |
Pradeep Mohapatra, Vice President Tel: (973) 723-2594
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Dr Annapurna Pandey, Secretary Tel: (831) 427-1232
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Dr Akhileswar Patel, Treasurer Tel: (732) 561-3066 |