Bhubaneswar: The curtain fell on the two-day Utsav Odisha, a festival on culture and national integration, organised by Utkal University and the Institute of Media Studies, with an insightful closing ceremony here on Saturday.
Inaugurating the ceremony at MKCG Auditorium, Vice-Chancellor of Utkal University Prof. Sabita Acharya said every Odia must take pride in its heritage as the State moves forward on the path of development. Odisha has the cultural heritage and richness which the whole world is looking for. “We can fulfil those needs. But it can only happen, if we take pride in our heritage,” she said.
Speaking on the occasion writer and former Additional Chief Secretary to Govt. of Gujarat Dr. S.K. Nanda said, “India, the nation with diverse culture has so many things which she can give to the world with pride, the world is not just connected with economic means, it can be connected on humanitarian values.” On the significance of a united country, he said Odisha has much to teach the world on the concept of unity which begins with the family structure.
Registrar Dr. Avaya Kumar Nayak and Director of IMS Prof. Upendra Padhi also spoke. Director of Students’ Welfare of the university Prof. Mithali Chinara coordinated the closing ceremony. On the occasion, winners of different competitions were also awarded.
Earlier on the day, fourth and fifth plenary sessions on ‘New India: Colonial Mindset & Beyond’ and ‘Bharat Youth Dialogue – Be the Change’ were organised. Joint Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India, Uma Nanduri graced the fourth session and asked students to shed all traces of colonial mindset, take pride in roots, stay united and follow duties. She also called for collective national efforts to make India a developed nation. While former Dean of English Literature, National Defence Academy Prof. Nishamani Kar chaired the session, Professor of History, Ravenshaw University Dr. Umakanta Mishra, former Head of English Dept., BJB College, Dr. Chittaranjan Misra, Professor & Dean, KIIT School of Language & Literature, KIIT University, Prof. Beerendra Pandey and former Head of English Dept., SVM College, Jagatsingpur Prof. Durgaprasad Acharya addressed the session as theme speakers. Professor of English, RD Women’s University Prof. Madhusmita Pati moderated the session.
The Bharat Youth Dialogue session was chaired by writer and Secretary of Ama Odisha Swaraj Mishra where four student speakers of the university Tapasi Padhi, Gargi Mandal, Sandeep Sekhar Nayak and Amiya Kumar Mishra presented their thoughts and ideas. On Friday, a book titled ‘Utkal: The Land of Excellence’ was released in the inaugural ceremony.
