Here’s a question for you? What is similar between a One-of-a-Kind Surfing Festival in India and a leading IT company that is also a Microsoft Certified Gold Partner? Nothing- you say? We disagree; they are similar in more ways than one.
Come, let us understand both of them first. The IT Company in question here is Mindfire Solutions that is an India-based software development country with an Oriya Founder, Mr. Chinmaya Panda. The unique Surfing Festival is the India Surf Festival that is held every year near Ramchandi Beach in Puri, Orissa.
On first sight, making the connection between these two entities will need some brainstorming but dig deep and you shall find it.
Odisha is a culturally rich state on the eastern shores of India that is going through a phase of steady development right now. It has abundant natural resources, scenic locales, world famous tourist destinations but where it lacks is in its absence of a strong IT culture. Other than the capital city of Bhubaneswar, IT doesn’t have a strong base anywhere else. In face of such obstacles, Mindfire Solutions has worked through with determination and perseverance to establish its own brand.
The beaches of Odisha spellbind even the widely-travelled beach lover and yet there never was a medium to celebration the beauty of it. Founder of ISF Mr. Sanjay Samantray was the man with a dream- a dream so utterly ridiculous it made him the butt of jokes. But look at him today and the impact the festival has on a World stage and the jokes fall flat on the face of his detractors. Leave alone villages, even the city slickers hadn’t heard of surfing and longboarding in Odisha. But he made it happen in a place where taking a boat to the sea was the only culture that is in any way related to water sports. The only thing that drove him was sheer determination and a raw, unadulterated belief in his dreams.
India Surf Festival is now on its Fourth Edition and is steadily gaining a huge following from surfers from all over the world. On the other hand Mindfire Solutions is fast becoming one of the well known brands of IT industry that might change the IT structure of Bhubaneswar soon.
Both of the entities and their founders have gone through the grind, faced adversities too large for small men to cope and have come out shining. They have made possible what was impossible solely on the belief that ‘Impossible’ is I Am Possible which, incidentally was also a tagline for previous edition of the ISF.
The two founders complement each other and even though they are worlds apart they form a solid team. CEO of Mindfire Solutions Mr. Chinmaya Panda echoes his sentiment on ISF that he understands the grind and the toll that such endeavours take upon a person. In return Founder of ISF Mr. Sanjay thanks the Company and is grateful for their support because it came when they needed it the most.
With the collaboration between two stalwarts of Odisha, India Surf Festival 2015 is going to turn out to be a much larger, more exuberant affair this time. So, surfers, longboarders, artists, adventurers, pack your bags because this is going to be a festival to remember.