Shovana Mohanty Appointed Odisha Women’s Commission Chief
Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Government has appointed Shovana Mohanty as the new Chairperson of the Odisha State Commission for Women, filling the position that had remained vacant since November last year following the removal of Minati Behera.
According to a notification issued by the Department of Women and Child Development, Mohanty—who hails from Karanjia under Remuna Block in Balasore district—will serve a three-year term starting August 5, 2025.
In a parallel move, the state government also named Babita Patra as the new Chairperson of the Odisha State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (OSCPCR). A native of Mayur Vihar, Somnath Nagar, Berhampur, Patra will serve a three-year term or until she attains the age of 65 years, whichever comes earlier.
Additionally, six members have been appointed to the OSCPCR for a similar three-year term or until they reach the age of 60 years, whichever is earlier. The newly inducted members include:
- Sukeshi Oram – Kadagadia, Champua, Keonjhar
- Kalpana Lenka – Basanti Colony, Rourkela
- Chandana Das – Badagada Brit Colony, Bhubaneswar
- Kasturi Mishra – Bapuji Nagar, Bhubaneswar
- Manasmita Khuntia – Charampa, Bhadrak
- Sujata Nayak – Bomikhal, Bhubaneswar
The appointments are seen as a significant step towards strengthening the functioning of the Women’s Commission and the Child Rights Commission in Odisha.
