[2] After graduation, Hodne was employed by the Norwegian Santal Mission (Den norske Santalmisjon) and sent to India in 1948.

Following the war, Olav Hodne was instrumental in the founding of Rangpur Dinapur Relief Service.

The organization was created in order to give aid to the refugees returning to the Rangpur District and Dinajpur District of northwest Bangladesh.

He was also instrumental in founding the Lutheran World Federation programmes in India that responded to drought and floods.

[4][2] Hodne received an Honorary Doctorate in Theology from the University of Oslo in 1967.