Orissa Culture Center (OCC) is a registered non-profit US corporation with a tax exempt organization status of 501 (C)(3) with IRS. OCC derives its name from a small state on the east coast of India called Orissa (now renamed to pre-British period era, Odisha), famous for its cultural heritage. Many of its architectural sites are in the UN World Heritage catalogue. Although the state is a little unknown in the world arena, it still serves as beacon of peace, universal brotherhood and friendship through one of its annual flagship events called Ratha Yatra, better known as Chariot or Car festival at Puri.