25 years on, KIIT Nanhi Pari empowers girls to chase their dreams
The Bhagavad Gita speaks of four paths to spiritual fulfilment: Karma Yoga (the path of action), Jnana Yoga (the path of knowledge), Bhakti Yoga (the path of devotion) and Raja Yoga (the path of meditation). I have always believed myself to be a Karma Yogi, finding purpose through selfless action and service. My professional journey has traversed multiple domains—education, healthcare, tribal empowerment, sports, media, art, cinema, literature and spiritualism. Each area of contribution has underlined a fundamental truth that genuine transformation occurs when we move beyond celebrating past achievements and remain focused on emerging possibilities. I have dedicated myself to community outreach initiatives like Art of Giving, Kanya Kiran, Kalinga Fellowship, India Against Negativity, Education for All, New Minds New Dreams, Health Empowerment of Rural Odisha and KIIT Kares, besides my regular work.
Among my various endeavours, KIIT Nanhi Pari holds particular significance as the oldest programme. Twenty-five years ago, social worker Malay Mohapatra approached me with a compelling vision to create a platform where adolescent girls could explore their inherent capabilities. The ancient Sanskrit text Manusmriti articulates a profound principle: “Yatra naryastu pujyante ramante tatra devatah,” meaning “divinity is fully present in any place where women are accorded due honour and esteem.” With zero registration fees and complete institutional support for transportation, lodging, meals and professional training, we ensured that every participant, irrespective of socio-economic background, could recognise her legitimate place in this forum. Thus began Nanhi Pari, and the rest is history.
Today, KIIT Nanhi Pari empowers India’s young girls (aged 13 to 16 years) by providing the nation’s most comprehensive platform to showcase their talent, build confidence and chase their dreams. Throughout its 25-year history, the programme has engaged over 15,000 participants. Over 5,000 registrations were received this year alone. This Silver Jubilee edition, to be held on December 22-23, brings together 35 finalists from auditions conducted in 25 cities nationwide, with the Grand Finale extending across three days in Bhubaneswar under complete institutional sponsorship. However, quantitative measures represent only partial outcomes. Snigdha Malviya, our 2023 winner from Uttar Pradesh, articulates how Nanhi Pari fundamentally altered her self-perception. Being crowned in 2024 enabled Dilishaa Behera to recognise previously untapped potential within herself.
KIIT Nanhi Pari stands apart by rejecting simplistic evaluations, focusing instead on nurturing a young girl’s complete capabilities. Our 10 categories acknowledge diverse forms of excellence: Miss Whizkid recognises intellectual achievement, Miss Active celebrates athletic capability, Miss Urvashi honours multifaceted talent and Miss Personality rewards cognitive acuity and communication proficiency. The core message of each category is that an individual’s value goes beyond any single evaluation metric. The financial commitment reflects our institutional priorities, with this year’s prize pool totalling Rs 56 lakh, unprecedented in our history. The winner receives Rs 28 lakh, while the first and second runners-up receive Rs 14 lakh and Rs 12 lakh, respectively. Each category winner receives Rs 20,000.
KIIT Nanhi Pari integrates with our broader developmental framework, including programmes such as Kanya Kiran and Kalinga Fellowship. A society’s true measure lies not in the monuments we build, but by the confidence we instil in our daughters. Over the years, KIIT Nanhi Pari has demonstrated that when young women receive resources, recognition, and belief, they redefine what success means. When a 13-year-old girl from a remote district walks onto the stage, she carries with her the dreams of countless women who came before her and the possibilities of generations yet to come.
I believe every girl arrives with wings; society’s responsibility is not to grant flight but to remove the weights that prevent it. KIIT Nanhi Pari does not shape exceptional young women; it reveals the light they have always carried. India’s daughters were never powerless - they only awaited belief. KIIT Nanhi Pari and I dare to offer that belief. (The writer is the Founder of KIIT, KISS & KIMS)