Bhubaneswar: A delegation of 50 students from various higher education institutions from the state, who reached Maharashtra Friday will have the opportunity to interact with the Governor of the western state and explore significant cultural and historical sites there. Students from various higher education institutions, including IIT-Bhubaneswar, have embarked on a journey to Maharashtra as part of the Central government’s ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ Yuva Sangam programme, an initiative aimed at fostering cultural and educational exchange among states. IIT-Bhubaneswar is serving as the nodal institute for Odisha, while IIM-Mumbai is the nodal institute for Maharashtra.
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The students’ delegation was flagged off at a special ceremony held recently by IIT-Bhubaneswar director Shreepad Karmalkar, who interacted with the students and expressed support for their journey. Senior officials present at the ceremony included student affairs dean Rajesh Roshan Dash, registrar Bamadev Acharya, as well as deans from other schools, senior faculty members, and officials from IIT-Bhubaneswar. During their visit, the students will have the opportunity to interact with Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan and explore significant cultural and historical sites, including Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Museum, Asiatic Library, Mani Bhavan, Nariman Point, and the Kanheri Caves in Sanjay Gandhi National Park. Their itinerary also features a visit to Film City, Godrej Museum, and IDC at IIT-Mumbai. Activities are organised around five themes: Paryatan (Tourism), Parampara (Traditions), Pragati (Development), Paraspar Sampark (People-to-people Connect), and Prodyogiki (Technology). In a reciprocal exchange, 50 students from Maharashtra are hosted by IIT-Bhubaneswar here. Their itinerary includes tours of the Governor House, industrial and corporate hubs here, and key cultural sites such as Puri, Konark, Raghurajpur, Ravenshaw University, the Maritime Museum, and the House of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. Other highlights include visits to Lingaraj Temple, Rajarani Temple, Khandagiri and Udayagiri caves, Dhauligiri, and the Tribal Museum in the Capital. The students will also explore tourist attractions like Chilika Lake and Kalinga Stadium, and engage with IIT-Bhubaneswar’s adopted villages and start-ups incubated by the Institute.
