New Delhi/Nayagarh: Nayagarh’s iconic ‘Chhena Poda’ is set to receive Geographical Indication (GI) tag recognition, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said Monday.
A formal announcement is expected during a meeting scheduled for May 28 and 29, according to officials.
The GI tag will grant official recognition to the traditional Odia dessert, strengthening its identity and association with Nayagarh, where it originated.
Chhena Poda is a sweet dish made from cheese (chhena), sugar, cardamom and cashew nuts.
Since 2022, the state has been observing ‘Chhena Poda Dibasa’ April 11, marking the birth anniversary of Sudarshan Sahoo, the man credited with accidentally discovering the iconic dessert.
The origin of Chhena Poda dates back to 1945 in Dasapalla, a town in the Nayagarh district, where Sudarshan Sahoo ran a sweet shop. In an attempt to make use of leftover cheese, Sahoo mixed it with sugar, cardamom and cashew nuts, shaped it into a cake and placed it in a charcoal oven overnight. The next morning, he discovered what would become one of Odisha’s most loved desserts.