Coming soon..

Saturday, June 22, 2025

In a society that has traditionally encouraged doctors and engineers, we have people who didn't conform to the “norm". We would like to discuss the pressure and difficulties next gen kids face/have faced in choosing different career paths. We want to have an open space to discuss how to prioritize passion over guaranteed financial stability in an Odia household.

Monday, June 30, 2025

Guilt is a powerful emotion. It tends to dig deep and nestle into our consciousness, taking root in our minds and our bodies. Some people are very skillful at using guilt to get their way or guarantee that others around them will cater to their needs. Many of us who belong to South-Asian cultures know the power of a guilt trip a little too well. We want to discuss ideas on how to cope with the pressure, guilt, and shame that we feel is inflicted upon us as next generation Americans.

Monday, June 30, 2025

Your 23andMe says you're Odia…now what? Everyone attending the OSA convention has some kind of connection to Odisha, whether you were born into an Odia family or you found yourself married to someone in one. What are the things that next generation Odia kids identify with, and how do you incorporate Odia traditions and culture into the American lifestyle for generations to come?

Monday, June 30, 2025

Balancing an Odia/Indian heritage with the American lifestyle is challenging to say the very least. No matter who you ask, there isn’t any easy way to navigate this path. In this seminar, we will discuss how those who identify as “American-Born Confused Desis” struggle with this dual identity and address taboo topics, in order to foster open communication within Odia families. As a forum for both parents and their children, we hope there will be insightful dialogue on cultural harmony and empowerment, while maintaining a safe space for venting and understanding between all.

Monday, June 30, 2025

Rich? In this economy? Please… Many of us graduate college and enter the workforce wishing that someone had taught us how to handle our finances. Taxes, investing, 401ks, Roth IRAs…it all seems like a foreign language. In this seminar, we would like to offer insight to young adults on how to manage and save their money so that they can set themselves up for long-term financial success.

Monday, June 30, 2025

Some comedic relief mixed in with prevalent issues that Indian-American kids face is the perfect recipe for an enjoyable seminar. Here, we will present stories relevant to South-Asian Americans from the popular reddit thread “Am I the Asshole (Abdhadra)" in order to discuss issues and stereotypes that many Indians face in living/growing up in America and how to best combat them.

Monday, June 30, 2024

This will be a fun and engaging activity designed to help Next Gen attendees at a convention meet new people and get all of the awkward introductions out of the way. With everyone rotating through a series of quick, timed dates, attendees will have the opportunity to introduce themselves, exchange basic information, and make a quick impression before moving on to the next person. The fast-paced nature of speed dating keeps the energy high and conversations fresh, providing a dynamic and efficient way to network and potentially form new friendships or connections.

Let's kick off the convention and celebrate the 4th of July with a fun-filled night of music and dancing. All Next Gen members are invited to join us for an unforgettable evening of festivities and making new connections. Don't miss out on this spectacular start to the OSA convention!

This year we have a designated space and time for our little ones! All children 5 and under are welcome in the playroom with parental supervision. We will have a ball pit, small slide, other soft climbing toys and hoppers in an enclosed area. Bring your kiddos in to burn off some energy and make new OSA friends! The play area is open to all but will not be supervised. Adults are required to accompany their children at all times.

We have rented out a private rooftop on Broadway in Downtown Dallas to give our visiting Next Gen members a little taste of the famous Honky Tonk culture! This will be one of our Next Gen specific social events and is 18+. Enjoy a night of good music and dancing with your favorite Odia pila mane!

Saturday, July 5th, 2025 at 5:00 PM CST

Join us at the Mixer, hosted by the Dallas Next Gen! Designed for the younger members of Next Gen, we will spend the night engaging in team-building style activities, making new friends, and creating lasting memories. This will be a fun opportunity to connect with people from other chapters and celebrate our vibrant community!

Entering high-school is a scary thought. College tends to be even scarier. This event will give our 13-18 year olds an opportunity to express all of their thoughts and feelings surrounding college and give them an opportunity to ask questions about the college process, balancing academics, and growing up. Through engaging events, sporting tournaments, and conversations, they will learn how to manage their studies while enjoying the college campus life.

Friday, July 4th, 2025 at 11:59 PM CST

Join us for a hands-on experience in making Odia Rasagola. This class will teach you how to prepare the finest chhena in an instant pot, and you'll learn a little bit about Odia culture and history in the process. Whether you're a novice or a seasoned chef, this is your chance to bring a piece of Odisha to your kitchen and impress your local neighborhood Odia mausi!

Sunday, July 6th, 2025 at 10:00 AM CST

After witnessing a plethora of scintillating cultural programs throughout the day, it's finally time for the late night performances and shenanigans 😉 This year, we are having a Next Gen specific Mehfil and Comedy night on Saturday, July 6th!

Saturday, July 5th, 2025 at 11:59 PM

Join us on Friday, July 5th, for our Next Gen Dallas Night! Experience Dallas's most iconic meal, complete with classic southern food staples alongside it! Please note that you MUST have a food ticket to participate in this event.

N/A

After the sad demise of Meghna Mahapatra, daughter of Santosh and Lipika Mahapatra, in a tragic road accident on 5th November 2005, members of the Michigan Chapter of the Orissa Society of the Americas have set up the Meghna Memorial Fund, managed by the Meghna Memorial Trust. This was made possible through generous contributions from many people, including Meghna‘s parents. To commemorate Meghna and pay tribute to her creative spirit, it was deemed appropriate to institute the Meghna Memorial Award for Creative Writing.

The Meghna Memorial Award was started in 2007.

Coming Soon

May 25th, 2025

Unique competition to promote and recognize the classical singing of Odia musical
treasures including Odissi, Champu and Chhanda by young Odias
Preamble about Champu, Chhanda and Odissi music

Odissi
Odissi music belongs to the genre of Classical music of India and has its origin in the state of Odisha. Out of five main branches of Indian Classical music such as Avanti, Panchali, Udramagadhi, Hindustani and Carnatic, Udramagadhi exists in the form of Odissi music. Odissi songs traditionally depict the love and frolics of Radha and Lord Krishna. The classical Odissi dance is also performed with Odissi music. All songs of Odissi are sung in specific ‘Raagas’ and ‘Taals‘. The typical singing style of Odissi starts with a short ‘Aalap’, followed by the main song ‘Prabandha’. ‘Taan’ is used in the form of ’Sargam’ and it usually comes at the end of the song. It is set to the beats and pauses of the ‘Taal‘. Most of the Odissi songs are written by the renowned lyricists such as Jayadev, Kavisamrat Upendra Bhanja, Banamali, Deenakrushna, KavisuryaBaladevRath, Gopalakrushna, Birakishore Dev etc.

Champu
‘Kavya’ with admixture of both prose and poem are known as Champu. In a Champu composition, every stanza starts with the same alphabet. This is sung in ‘Raaga’ and ‘Tala‘. There is no Taan in this style of singing.
Chhanda

The main characteristic of these verses is the stress on rhythm. Every ‘Pada’ of a Chhanda is sung in the same swara. Singers sing from the Odia language epics of Ramayana, Mahabharata and from the Indian Puranas.
Champu, Chhanda and Odissi (CCO) Competition – Vocal
Odissi, Champu and Chhanda music competition is a part of the various competitions since the year of 2009. It was started in New Jersey. The competition is to promote and recognize the classical singing of Odia musical treasures including Odissi, Champu and Chhanda by young Odias in North America. This program is conceived by Late Mrs. Lata Misra.
Eligibility for CCO Vocal

• There are two age groups for participants: 1- Junior (7 to 12 yrs old) and 2- Senior (13 to 18 yrs old)
• Participants must be registered for the OSA convention through individual or family registration
• Multiple Participants belonging to any particular OSA Chapter are allowed
• All participant much submit the audio track (must be in MP3) within 2 weeks after the deadline if performing on track. Entry will be rejected if the track is not received.

May 25th, 2025

ଉଚ ହେବା ପାଇଁ କର ଯେବେ ଆଶା
ଉଚ କର ଆଗେ ନିଜ ମାତୃଭାଷା

OSA’s “Let’s Learn Odia" program conducts an Odia speech and vocabulary competition for
children age 7 to 21 at the convention. “Our goal is to promote and propagate Odia culture and
heritage among our children using the fundamental tool of language.
Eligibility Requirements:
All children of Odia origin residing in North America (USA and Canada) in the age group of 7 to
21 are eligible to participate.
There are two age groups for participants:
1- Junior (7 to 12 years old) for Odia Vocabulary Contest
2- Senior (13 to 21 years old) for Odia Speech contest
Participants must be registered for the OSA convention through individual or family
registration.

Coming soon

May 25th, 2025

This competition gives a big stage and opportunity to showcase your talent in Performing Arts be it Singing, Dancing, Instrument recital not barring any language.
Eligibility Requirements.
Age Group:
1. OGT Little Stars: Up to 6 Years
2. OGT Rising Stars: 7-12 Years
3. OGT Sparkling Stars: 13-18 Years
4. OGT Radiant Stars: 19 and Above

1. Participant must be
a. A child of a “voting member" or a “voting member” of OSA with a primary residence in the USA or Canada.
b. Visitor VISA holders and children of visitor VISA holders are NOT eligible.
2. Participants must be registered for the OSA convention through individual or family registration.
3 .All participants must submit the audio track (must be in MP3) latest by May 29th, 2025 , if performing on track. Entry will be rejected if the track is not received.

May 25th, 2025

Subrina Biswal Performing Arts (Song, Dance, Instrumental) Competition for young talents between the ages of 8yr and 18yrs.
Eligibility Requirements: There will be two groups of participants, Junior(8years to 12 years) and senior(13 years-18 years).
1. Participant must be
a. A child of a “voting member" of OSA with a primary residence in USA or Canada.
b. Visitor VISA holders and children of visitor VISA holders are NOT eligible.
2. Participants must be registered for the OSA convention through individual or family registration.
3. All the performances must be in Odia language.
4. All participant much submit the audio track (must be in MP3) within 2 weeks after the deadline if performing on track. Entry will be rejected if the track is not received.

May 25th, 2025