About NPO OCJ

Submitted by Admin on Fri, 10/13/2006 - 06:42

The NPO Odisha Community in Japan (OCJ) represents a group for odias currently living in Japan. Our community is meant for friendship, relationship, cooperation, community services. Although we speak mostly in Odia, a derivative of Sanskrit, in our gatherings communication in other languages such as English and Japanese is not uncommon. 

Present memebers of the OCJ Governing Committee:

  • Ms. Pratima(Julie) Behera, President

  • Mr. Munindra Panda  Executive Director 

  • Ms. Ranjita Kabi, Vice President

  • Mr. Soumya R Mishra, Vice President

  • Mr. Satish Kumar Behera,  Treasurer

  • Ms. Kaajal Mishra, Cultural Secretary

  • Ms. Lopamudra Thatoi, Puja Secretary

  • Ms. Swetasmita Dash, Media Manager

  • Ms. Upasana Acharya Dash, Souvenir Manager

 

Advisors:

  • Dr. Sudhir Mishra
  • Dr. Swadhin Behera
  • Mr. Tokio Hasegawa
  • Mr. Miura Atsusi
  • Mr. Bikash Mohanty   

 

The OCJ activity started from small gatherings, when a few Odia families living around Misato and Tokyo started regular gatherings. During those days about 10 to 20 people were meeting to enjoy home cooked meals and small talks ranging from Odisha politics to living standards in Japan. After 2004, more Odias started arriving in Japan, especially in Tokyo, and the gatherings became more formal with the launch of regular Saraswati Pujas. This annual event is always celebrated with enthusiasm and devotionorissa-ind.jpgs. The group also has conducted picnics and gatherings outside of Tokyo.

Most of the activities of the group were managed through the yahoo group Odia Japan (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/oDiA_Japan/) registered in 2003. With an increasing interest in the group’s activities and to give them a proper exposure, we launched this web-site. The website is meant to depict the activities and serve as the primary communication forum for the Odia community in Japan.

We whole heartedly welcome to our community those who have an affinity to Odisha either because of their Odia spouses or because of their attraction to the history and culture of Odisha. Odisha is an interesting place with many warm hearted people. It is no wonder that the warior Ashok turned to a saint Ashok after winning this land.

Odisha is well-known for it's temples and sculptures, the dance form called Odissi, it's unique paintings called "pattachitra", its unique women dress wares called Sambalpuri Pata, its renowned mathematicians Pathani Samanta, its renowned poet Fakir Mohan, its renowned barrister Madhusudan Dash and most importantly its common God Lord Shri Jagannath, who is liked equally among people of all religion – the famous devotee being Salabeg who was a Muslim by birth.