The national organization, OSA (The Odisha Society of the Americas), was formed in 1969 by a group of visionary Odias to promote Odia culture in North America.

The Michigan Chapter was founded in 1981 following OSA guidelines for forming a chapter. Dr. Hemant Senapati (late) along with his wife Swarna (Kuni) Senapati was instrumental in creating the Michigan Chapter along with other founding members. The founding members included:

Dr. Hemant Senapati & Kuni Senapati (late), Puspa & Parikshita Nayak, Drs. Nitin & Chandini Joshi, Drs. Sudarshan Mishra & Dr. Kalyani Mishra (late), Ranganath & Suchismita (Bunu) Mishra, Mr. Mohammad Yusuf (late) & Farannah Yusuf, Natabara and Bali Khuntia, Ladu & Lily Pattanaik (late), Subhendu and Jayashree (Ranu) Mohanty, Sirish and Sanju Mishra, Amiya and Ranju Samantrai, Raj and Sandhya Mishra, Dr. Prasad and Dr. Aryabala Prasad (late), Tuni Senapati and Dick Troombley (late).

The chapter started with 15-16 families as members of MI-OSA, which was the requirement to form a chapter according to the national OSA's guidelines.

At that time, it was decided that all the activities celebrated today would be established, including Ganesh Puja, Saraswati Puja, and the annual picnic. These events were mainly celebrated in Dr. Hemant Senapati's home initially. Even in those early days, the members were deeply interested in promoting Odia culture. The organization invited eminent artists like Sanjukta Panigrahi and Akshya Kumar, utilizing temple facilities for performances.

As the organization grew in number, Kumar Purnima and the picnic were added to the event list. Mrs. Puspa Nayak was instrumental in organizing cultural events for Kumar Purnima. Basant Utsav was also added as an event for the chapter. All the members cooked, cleaned, and decorated without any outside help for all the events. Coming together to do all the needful with love and community spirit created a family-like atmosphere.

As the chapter grew larger and the internet became part of daily life, the chapter's guidelines were created with majority member approval, and the organization's first website was launched. The organization became part of the larger Indian community by participating in the India Day parade organized by ILA, giving the organization greater visibility. When Arun Tripathy served as an office bearer during this time, he volunteered to be the organizer of the parade committee for ILA that year, and the organization led the parade for the first time. The children participated in the cultural program for the first time and received much appreciation, further enhancing the organization's visibility. This tradition has continued to this day.

Throughout the years, the organization has continued to promote Odia culture by inviting renowned artists from Odisha, including Guru Kelucharan Mahapatra, Dr. Ileana Citaristi, and Prafulla Kar, to name a few.

Today, the organization has gained strength through increasing numbers, with many young families joining as members. As a natural generational shift occurs, the organization continues to evolve. The community can remain strong by honoring the contributions of the founding members while fostering connections across all age groups. By working together and respecting each other, the organization can build an even stronger community for future generations.