A member of a primitive tribal group, Dongaria Kondh, has made her community proud as she has become the first person to be issued a passport, a document necessary to travel abroad.
Dinja Jakesika from Kurli village under Bissam Cuttack block in Rayagada district is a role model for many in the community for her pro-development initiatives like ensuring education and housing facilities. As a Sarpanch of Kurli panchayat, Dinja was honoured with Outstanding Women Panchayat Leaders award in 2016. She is scheduled to visit abroad to attend an international tribal event in Indonesia. She would attend the first International Indigenous Film Festival (IIFF) at Bali from January 26 to 28.
The majority of the films showcased in the IIFF will focus on the life of indigenous people, their faith, their deep connection with their land, their plight for survival as they protect forests from land conversion and their challenges in facing marginalisation. It will highlight the struggles indigenous people face in Indonesia and around the world besides communicating their wisdom and knowledge.
Notably, Dinja had applied for passport on Thursday morning. However, it was not issued due to want of mandatory documents and the incoherence in the spelling of her name in documents. This was, however, facilitated by the officials of the Regional Passport Office on Friday.