Dikhyaa Mohanty The Bhubaneswar Chapter of the Eastern India Regional Council (ERIC) of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) has achieved a milestone by electing CS Sasmita Agarwalla Panda as its first woman chairperson for the year 2025. This marks a significant moment as the chapter, since its inception the ICSI had never been led by a woman. Her chairpersonship symbolises progress and sets an inspiring precedent for women in the company secretary profession in Odisha.
As vice chairman, Srimanta Baboo, secretary Nilakantha Samal, treasurer Jyotirmaya Panigrahi, ex-officio member Soumya Sujit Mishra (who was also the previous chairman of the Bhubaneswar Chapter and the EIRC), and other members of the management committee Rudra Madhab Sahoo, Bimal Prasad Pattnaik, and Jitendriya Mohanty make up Sasmita’s team. With an emphasis on the chapter’s overall growth, they seek to build on the legacy of their forebears. Her vision focuses on student-centered initiatives, raising awareness of the company secretary profession, and encouraging more knowledgeable individuals to participate in the professional body’s mission-fulfillment.
Sasmita expressed her gratitude to the immediate past chairman of the chapter, Rudramadhab Sahoo, for his excellent and modest leadership over the past year, to the senior members, Priyadarshi Nayak (the previous chairman of the EIRC & Bhubaneswar Chapter) and Jyotirmoy Mishra (the previous chairman of the Bhubaneswar Chapter), for their unwavering support and guidance, to the office bearers’ team of the Bhubaneswar Chapter for the camaraderie in the workplace, and to her coworkers, fraternity members, and students for their faith and confidence in her leadership.
With Sasmita’s roots in a small town of Odisha, she has become an inspiration, demonstrating that big dreams can indeed be achieved. The Bhubaneswar Chapter continues its commitment to organizing academic and professional development programmes for members and students. It also conducts awareness campaigns to promote the company secretary profession among aspiring students. Currently, the chapter serves large number of professional Company secretaries in practice and in employment and large number of spread throughout Odisha, reinforcing its role as a pillar of growth and learning in the region.
