A youth from Rourkela and presently working as a CEO of a New Zealand-based firm has brought laurels for the State and the country by winning the prestigious Prime Minister’s Business Scholarship meant for top business executives of their country. As many as 14 top business executives of New Zealand, including him, received the award from New Zealand Prime Minister Bill English, in a function held at Wellington on Wednesday evening.
Sources said Ojas Mohapatra (33), son of Rahas Bihari Mohapatra, a doctor by profession and Manju Mohapatra, who are residents of Fertilizer township area of the city, is working as CEO of Photonics Innovations ltd., a New Zealand based company, after completing his PhD in Nano technology from a New Zealand based university.
Mohapatra, with his leadership skill and innovative approach, also had hit the headlines in New Zealand during 2015, by becoming the finalist of the Best New Zealander (Innovation). With his leadership skill, he was initially short listed for the prestigious Prime Minister Business Scholarship 2017.
Sources said the Prime Minister Business Scholarship was introduced in New Zealand in 2010 in a bid to help and improve the international competitiveness by developing the management and leadership skills. Since, 2010, as many as 73 executives have been honored with this scholarship, from different fields like IT, engineering, manufacturing etc., source added. As a part of the scholarship, the winners will be sent for one month special course in world business scenario at london Business School, sources said.
Mohapatra expressed his happiness over his achievement. “Coming from Odisha and working as a CEO of a leading firm in a developed country like New Zealand has been a great pleasure for me, but receiving the prestigious scholarship from New Zealand Government is definitely a special honour which I will cherish for long,” he said.