Bhubaneswar: The recent Odisha Travel Bazaar (OTB) conclave here saw the state government unveil its plan to promote its beaches, dense forests, hills, waterfalls, monuments and temples as top wedding destinations with new policies for homestay & adventure sports, boosting economy and business opportunities.
The Centre also expressed its commitment to establish Odisha’s unique flavours in the global market.
But what caught the attention of Mahindra and Mahindra Group’s Chairman, Anand Mahindra, was beyond these array of breathtaking destinations. It was Kanhakund in Odisha, where the IB river has carved out a beautiful canyon on its way. The spot near Balisankar village in Sundargarh, around 128 km from the city of Sambalpur, has clear blue waters passing through granite beds creating a wonder of nature.
While referring to a post on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, the business tycoon called for transforming it into a national and global tourism hotspot. He further asserted that there was no need to compare this beautiful sight with the Grand Canyon, a natural wonder in Arizona, US, as mentioned in the post.
“No need to compare it to the Grand Canyon. This is unique in its own way,” he wrote.
No need to compare it to the Grand Canyon.
This is unique in its own way.
Not sure if these pics are photoshopped, but even if they are to an extent, these formations are…
AMAZING
Hello @odisha_tourism _tourism what can we do to make this first a national destination and… https://t.co/RUxEdAXpOB
— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) February 27, 2025
Anand Mahindra’s post quickly gained over 556k views, with netizens commenting about the ‘unexplored gems’ in India.
Soon enough, Odisha Tourism reacted to his post: “Thank you! We’re thrilled to have your attention on Kanhakund, one of Odisha’s most stunning hidden gems which has the potential to become a national and global hotspot. Odisha Tourism is committed to showcasing this and many such underrated treasures, and we’re working on enhancing infrastructure, creating sustainable tourism experiences, and promoting such unique destinations on national and international platforms. With your encouragement, we believe such unexplored destinations of Odisha will truly shine.”
