Giridharilal Kedia

25 August 1936, born a baby in the family of late Banarasilal Kedia, lovingly named Giridharilal Kedia, who became the icon of love for the social set up of Cuttack.
Even though he had lost his father at the tender age of eight; though the merciless time deprived the child from fatherly love and guidance, but almighty God had blessed this child with a gentle heart and sacrificing attitude.
The fatherless child was brought up under the guidance of mother Srimati Ginnia davi lovingly known as Shyama the daughter of Late Sawalram Modi and grand daughter of Late Laxminarayan Modi. She took all the pain and pleasure in bringing up the child up to the age of 18 years. Mother Shyama Devi has blessed with 3 sons and a daughter, among them Giridharilal Kedia was the eldest.
He happily married to Draupadi devi the grand daughter of Late Narsinghdas Bhawsinka and daughter of late Sajjan Kumar Bhawsinka in the year 24th Nov.1953.
He blessed with 2 sons and 3 daughters being. Pramod is the eldest among Pradeep Kamala, Aruna and Sudha .
He got all his inspiration and guidance from his maternal uncle and grand father.
He took the best foot forward in giving love and affection to all the family members. Beside maintaining the parental business he had given all the effort for his younger sister & brothers marriages and simultaneously of his children.
However, the harshness of time never succeeded in pressing down the will and aspiration of late Giridharilal Kedia, As the name stand , so was the determination and commitments and he quickly accepted the challenges and turned the adversity of life into fortitude by his mature understanding.
He grew with large experience and insight and had nurtured every bit of his responsibilities which had brought him a number of credibility to appreciate & lament. He became the legend and role model not only for his family but for the society also.
At his early teen he sacrificed his college education for family management and parental business. He became the ‘Karta’, or the Performer.
Business achievements
The first parental business was selling of yarn, but due to his clear alignment in thinking and entrepreneurial vigor of Late G.L.Kedia had successfully pushed a step forward to his parental business and diversified into the business of textile, Petroleum, Tyre, Automobile Spare Parts, Lubricants and Real estate.
The agility of late G.L.Kedia always helped in accommodating him with the time. Hence he swiftly adopted with the business of Text Book selling.
Social worker
During organizing his family and parental business, he had not detached ever from the main stream of society rather attached more sincerely with so many social organization not only in Cuttack but beyond Cuttack as the legacy and followed the foot print of his father Late Banarasilal who was a social reformer and man of culture. “Pratistha Samma” from VysyaSamaj,
During his life time he served a community. One way of community service was his association and involvement in one of the world’s largest community service organization known as Lions Club International. He became founder member of Lions Club Of Cuttack n the year 1974
He served the greatest social club of the world as LION by holding various post from the year 1974 and became the President Lions Club of Cuttack in 1975. In 1978 he held the post of Deputy District Governor of 322 B. Then in the year 1982 he was unanimously elected the District Governor of undivided district 322 C of Lion International. His dedicated service for the social cause had brought the fame as Lion Guru and he had voiced the slogan “CARE THE UNCARED’ which is still ringing in the hearts of lions and people associated with him.
Lion of the year 1979-80 Appreciation Award for Dedicated Service to Lionism 2005-06
Dist 322 C Foundation Life Member Award
Marwari Yuva Manch was another field of social activities and he was felicitated with “SAMAJ GAURAV”award for his self less service.
He had served as Vice-President of Utkal Pradeshik Kedia Sabha .He was also attached to Biswa Kalyan Path Chakra.
Cultural life
He was not only the wagon wheel in moving the social activities forward but culturally he had several accolade - he was one of the Life Member of Kalavikash Kendra, Cuttack and served the Kendra for 12 years as the Working President. During this period Kalavikash Kendra has got lot of fame and had given a number of new artists to the nation. These talents of Late Giridharilal Kedia was duely adored with awards like,
Theater Movement Award by Global Peace Organization. He had served as the founder member of Navakalika, for dance and music too.
Educationist
Though he had to leave his studies at his teen, his love for education remain all through.
He was a voracious reader and this particular culture of the man became the instrument
in organizing the Marwari Hindi Vidyalaya as the President. After that he did not look back and had the flow of social content in his nerves and veins. He was attached to Marwari High School of Cuttack, as the lover of kids he started the Little hearts Academy, Play School for the development of children from grass root level. He had served to theTulsi Sahitya Sansad , Utkal Sahitya Samaj and was actively associated with Hindi Sahitya Samiti Pustakalaya and was awarded with Swargiya Banarasilal Kedia Smruti Samman.
The greatest achievement among all other is the establishment of Image Institution of Technology & Management, Upper Telenga Bazar, Cuttack in the year 2002. When there was a scarcity of good institution and all the importance was laid on Bhubaneswar, Late G.L.Kedia’s vision has facilitated the scope of Professional Education for the students of Cuttack and of other districts again a reasonable course fee.
Spiritual life
He was the Founder President of Maruti Mandap, Chowdhuribazar, Cuttack and of Ramayan Prachar Samiti as well the member of Bhagbat Prachar Samiti. He was spiritedly associated with Ramacharit Manas Path Samiti and was the member of Divine Life Society of India and Shyam Sundar Math. He was the Life Trustee of Sankirtan Bhawan Dharmik Nyas Jhushi (Allhabad) and of Vrindaban and Akhil Bharat Jagannath Consciousness Sansad.
As a well known saying goes “man proposes, God disposes,” there were many things he wanted to do but due to his illness it was not fulfilled. He left for his heavenly abode on 19th December 2009. However, he left a legacy behind him for the benefit of entire community.

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