Patang's journey began in Sambalpur, Odisha, as a platform empowering youth to address social issues and develop leadership skills. Dr. Rita Mishra, the founder, received a fellowship from IGSSS in 2003 to launch the SMILE program in Odisha. Over time, the platform evolved into an organization and received support from the National Foundation for India, and Wipro Foundation becoming a Youth and Education Resource Centre (EYRC). Pravah's investments in capacity building further fortified the team.

While youth leadership development remained the core focus, Patang recognized the significance of creating an enabling ecosystem for sustainable change. Consequently, while its primary constituency remained youth aged 17 to 24, it expanded its work to include children and adolescents.