Raseshwari Devi Ji Receives Seva Samman Award at Odisha Spiritual Conclave 2026
Raseshwari Devi Ji Receives Seva Samman Award
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Distinguished spiritual teacher and Upanishadic scholar Raseshwari Devi Ji received the Seva Samman Award on 23rd Feb at the 2026 Spiritual Conclave Odisha in recognition of her many years of service towards providing spiritual education and bringing about increased social awareness. The award was presented to her by Surama Padhy, Hon’ble Speaker of the Odisha Legislative Assembly in the company of many other distinguished individuals from the spiritual, public, and cultural sectors.
The Seva Samman Award recognizes Raseshwari Devi Ji's ongoing commitment to promoting the Upanishadic message to all people in various sectors through public talks, meditation programs, and other value-based programmes to help them experience their everyday lives with spirituality at the forefront. The conclave's organisers noted that she had increased awareness related to moral behaviour, self-discipline, and inner development for each of the participants through this outreach.
Hosting the event were MBC TV and BS TV with many eminent guests from politics and culture in Odisha. Pabitra Sounta, Mangu Khilla, and Golaka Mohapatra were just a few of them. Senior leaders such as Arabinda Dhali and Priyadarshi Mishra were also in attendance. Two Padma awardees, Sudarshan Sahoo and Adwaita Gadanayak, represent cultural harmony by their presence at the conclave.
As a devoted disciple of Jagadguru Kripalu Maharaj, Raseshwari Devi Ji began her spiritual path after finishing her higher studies in the subjects of mathematics and English. At the age of 22, on October 15, 1988, she took sannyas (a vow of renouncing material possessions) and dedicated her life to spreading Shri Krishna Bhakti (the practice of love for God through devotion) and the philosophy of the Upanishads (ancient Indian scriptures that explore the ultimate nature of reality). Rasedhwari Devi Ji has conducted over 300 spiritual programs in 140 cities and 11 states throughout the years; but has taken a more active role in Odisha, where she has set up 21 meditation centres and spiritual development centres under her guidance.
In recent years, she has extended her spiritual outreach through various digital media channels and has provided spiritual learning opportunities to a broader audience throughout the coastal and semi-urban areas of Odisha. Her new outreach programs for children and youth, such as Bal Sanskar Shivir (children's moral education camps) and Yuva Utthan Shivir (youth development camps), continue to engage children and youth through programs aimed at moral education, cultural awareness, and personal development. In December, she also had the honor of meeting with Droupadi Murmu, the Honourable President of India, to celebrate her Sanyas Diwas (the anniversary of someone taking the vow of sannyas).
Receiving the Seva Samman Award at Spiritual Conclave Odisha 2026 marks a breakthrough for Rasedhwari Devi Ji’s contribution to public and spiritual causes. Observers of this award view it as proof of her contribution to the advancement of spiritual education and community-based initiatives in the changing landscape of India's social development.
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Chhattisgarh Vedanta power plant blast: Death toll rises to 20; sixteen workers undergoing treatment
Sakti (Chhattisgarh) (PTI): The death toll in a blast at the Vedanta power plant in Chhattisgarh's Sakti district has mounted to 20 with seven more workers succumbing to injuries, while 16 others are undergoing treatment at different hospitals, officials said on Wednesday.
The deceased include six labourers from West Bengal, five from Chhattisgarh, three each from Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh, two from Bihar, and one from Madhya Pradesh.
The opposition Congress has demanded registration of an FIR against the plant management and a judicial inquiry into the incident.
The explosion occurred on Tuesday afternoon in a steel tube carrying high-pressure steam from the boiler to the turbine at the Vedanta Ltd power plant located in Singhitarai village, leaving several workers with severe burn injuries.
According to officials, four workers died on the spot, while nine others succumbed to injuries soon after the incident.
Seven more workers have died in hospitals, raising the toll to 20, Sakti Collector Amrit Vikas Topno told PTI on Wednesday.
He said that a total of 36 workers were affected in the blast, and 20 of them died.
"Of the 16 injured workers, five are undergoing treatment in hospitals in Raipur, while 11 others are in hospitals of Raigarh, the neighbouring district of Sakti," he added.
Topno added that every possible effort was being made to provide the best medical treatment to the injured.
The deceased were identified, and their family members are being contacted. Arrangements have been made to transport the mortal remains to their native villages via ambulance following the postmortem examination and to provide immediate financial assistance, he said.
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai has announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the families of each deceased worker and Rs 50,000 for those injured.
Vedanta Power has also announced a Rs 35 lakh compensation for the family of each deceased worker, along with employment support.
The company will also provide Rs 15 lakh to each injured person, ensure salary continuation until recovery, and offer counselling support, a statement from the plant management said.
The chief minister has ordered an inquiry by the Commissioner of the Bilaspur division, assuring strict action against the guilty.
He directed officials to ensure free and proper medical treatment for all injured and emphasised that no negligence in their care would be tolerated.
The district administration has also ordered a separate magisterial probe, while the company has initiated its own internal investigation.
Collector Topno has appointed the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Dabhra to conduct the magisterial inquiry.
The SDM has been asked to submit a report within 30 days covering key aspects, including the cause of the accident, whether it was due to technical or human error, and details of safety inspections carried out at the plant.
Meanwhile, the opposition Congress has demanded registration of an FIR against the plant management and a judicial inquiry into the incident.
State Congress communication wing head Sushil Anand Shukla on Wednesday alleged negligence on the plant management's part and accused the government of attempting to shield those responsible.
He also demanded compensation of Rs 1 crore for the families of the deceased and Rs 50 lakh for the injured.
The construction of a 1,200 MW coal-based thermal power project (two units of 600 MW each) in Singhitarai, originally owned by Athena Chhattisgarh Power Ltd, started in 2009, but remained stalled between 2016 and 2022.
Vedanta acquired the plant in 2022, after which a 600 MW unit was completed and commissioned in August last year, while the second unit is still under construction.
The deceased have been identified as Amrit Lal Patel, Thanda Ram Lahre, Udhab Singh Yadav, Rameshwar Mahilange, and Nadeem Ansari (all from Chhattisgarh); Susanta Jana, Sheikh Saifuddin, Manas Giri, Kailash Mahto, Shibnath Murmu, and Dipankar Singh (West Bengal), Tarun Kumar Ojha, Abdul Karim and Ashok Parhiya (Jharkhand), Raju Ram, Pappu Kumar and Brijesh Kumar (Uttar Pradesh), Aakib Khan and Ritesh Kumar (Bihar), and Chitranjan Dhulai of Madhya Pradesh, officials said.
