PEOPLE OF
ODISHA
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People of Odisha — Documentary Stories from Odisha, India

Ritesh Agarwal
Bonda Women
Odissi
Ashish Mohapatra
Subroto Bagchi
Sona Mohapatra

"I was a small-town boy with big dreams. I never thought I'd build something the world would notice."

Ritesh Agarwal

Founder & CEO, OYO Rooms · Born in Bissam Cuttack, Rayagada, Odisha

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Latest Stories

Arjun Mishra

Bhubaneswar, Odisha

He told us there was only enough money for one and it should be you.

— Arjun Mishra

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Adesh Nayak

Cuttack, Odisha

He never once told me he was proud of me. It took me thirty years to understand what he was actually saying.

— Adesh Nayak

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EDITOR'S PICK

If my parents had Tinder, would they still have ended up together?

She fell in love with him slowly. The way moss grows on a stone. By the time it's covered, you can't remember what the stone looked like underneath.

Read Their Story →
If my parents had Tinder, would they still have ended up together?
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Latest Series

The Archive

Some stories can't be told in a single photograph. Our series go deeper into the themes that keep coming up — on the land, the craft, the communities, and the cultures that make Odisha what it is.

The Archive

Communities

Every city has an Odisha in it.

Odias in New York
🇺🇸

New York, USA

Odias in New York

One of the oldest Odia communities in North America. Home to the OSA NY/NJ chapter, keeping language, food, and festivals alive since 1969.

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Odias in San Francisco
🇺🇸

San Francisco, USA

Odias in San Francisco

From Silicon Valley engineers to Bay Area dreamers — Odias building the future while holding on to their roots.

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Odias in Washington DC
🇺🇸

Washington DC, USA

Odias in Washington DC

One of the earliest OSA chapters, established in 1984. A community of professionals, diplomats, and families across Maryland, Virginia, and DC.

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Events

We are planning our first gathering of the people of Odisha — storytellers, makers, builders, and dreamers. Events are coming soon.

People of Odisha gatheringPhoto by Team Locavore
People of Odisha

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