THEBUSINESSBYTES
BUREAU
BHUBANESWAR, AUGUST 8, 2026
Community leader, businesswoman and social worker Rekha
Senapati, who hails from Berhampur in Odisha, has been honoured with the prestigious
British Citizen Award – The People’s Choice at the House of Lords, Palace of
Westminster, London, in recognition of her more than two decades of voluntary
service.
Senapati was presented the award by television presenter and
journalist Matt Allwright and Dame Mary Perkins, founder of Specsavers. She was
the only Indian-born British Hindu among the 26 medalists who received the
honour.
With more than 25 years of voluntary service, Senapati has
worked extensively for hospice patients, women from ethnic communities,
children with complex disabilities and disadvantaged sections across Greater
Manchester and other parts of the UK.
She has also raised funds for health charities, supported
homeless charities through food donations and organised cultural and creative
events to promote inclusion and community participation.
Her contribution to the Indian and Hindu community in the UK
has also included playing a key role in promoting Ratha Yatra in Greater
Manchester. Under her leadership, the annual Hindu religious and cultural
festival has grown into a major event in Greater Manchester and the North West
and has featured in the Hindu calendar for the past eight years.
Senapati has also been associated with singing and dancing
for more than two decades, using cultural activities as a means of bringing
communities together.
The British Citizen Award is the latest in a series of
recognitions for her community service. In May this year, she received the
Mayor’s Citizen Award from the Mayor of Salford in Manchester. She was also
honoured with the Shakti Public Service Star Award at an event in Manchester in
March.
“I am deeply honoured
and humbled to receive this award. This recognition inspires me to continue
serving the community with compassion and dedication,” Senapati said after
receiving the honour.
Senapati holds a Master’s degree in Political Science from
Berhampur University in Odisha. She comes from a family with deep roots in
Berhampur and is the daughter of Kotni Nirmal Kumar and Kotni Prabhavati. She
is the daughter-in-law of the late Somonath Senapati and late Padmavati
Senapati and is married to Professor Siba Senapati, a weight-loss surgeon based
in Manchester.
Her guiding motto, “Sarve Sukhino Bhavantu” — meaning “May
all be happy” — reflects her approach to community service.
The recognition has been hailed as a proud moment for the
Indian diaspora, Odisha and Berhampur, highlighting the contribution of Indians
to British society and community life in the UK.
