22-05-2018
Industrialist and founder and chairman Emeritus of Indian Metals & Ferro Alloys Ltd (IMFA) Bansidhar Panda passed away
Panda passed away at his Bhubaneswar residence on Tuesday. He was 87.
Many eminent personalities paid tributes to Bansidhar Panda at his residence after which his mortal remains were taken in an ambulance to his native village Madhuban under Barang block of Cuttack district. A pall of gloom descended on the village and many gathered to catch a final glimpse of Panda. Later, his body was consigned to flames at the village cremation ground by his elder son Baijayant Panda in presence of a huge gathering.
Born in 1931, Bansidhar Panda was instrumental in setting up industries that contributed to Odisha’s development in a big way. Panda is survived by his two sons Baijayant Panda, Subhrakant Panda and two daughters Paramita and Nita Ganapati.
A renowned research scientist, Bansidhar Panda had embarked upon a journey with a vision to bring industrial revolution after returning from the United States and chose Therubali, a remote outpost in the erstwhile undivided Koraput district of Odisha to give wings to his dreams and had set up IMFA in 1961.
Beyond business, he is also known for his philanthropic activities and love for literature. Much before the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Panda has been instrumental in instilling the culture of inclusive growth in IMFA.
Inspired by his vision for making a positive impact on the society, IMFA has been doing commendable work in the field of education, vocational training, basic healthcare, water and sanitation and infrastructure development. The Sarala Award for literature and Ekalabya Puruskar for sports, which were founded by IMFA under his leadership, are recognised as the highest achievements in the respective fields.
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