Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati on Saturday felicitated Champa Raspeda, the first girl from the Didyai community, a particularly vulnerable tribal group, to qualify in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET).

Champa, a native of Amlibeda village in Malkangiri district, has created history by securing admission to an MBBS course in a government medical college, becoming the first Didyai girl to do so.

She visited Raj Bhavan with her brother, officials from the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Research and Training Institute and her mentor, teacher Utkala Keshari Das, who guided her.

During the interaction, the governor asked about her journey, the challenges she overcame, and her determination to pursue medicine.

As encouragement, the governor gifted her a mobile phone and a laptop bag, extending his best wishes for her academic career. Praising her achievement, Kambhampati said Champa’s success was a matter of pride not only for the Didyai community but for Odisha as a whole.

“Her journey from a remote village to NEET reflects determination and perseverance. This success will inspire children from tribal and rural areas to overcome obstacles, pursue their dreams, and aim high in life,” he said.

The governor assured her of support in future academic pursuits, stressing that education remains a transformative force for empowerment and social progress.
Champa told The Telegraph: “I want to be a doctor and serve the poor and tribal people. Meeting the governor was a lifetime experience. I am thankful to everyone for supporting me.” Earlier, chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi had also congratulated her.

Champa hails from a farmer's family with four brothers and two sisters. Commissioner-cum-secretary to the governor, Roopa Roshan Sahu, and other officials were also present.