Bhubaneswar: Utsav Odisha, a two-day festival of culture and national integration, was inaugurated Wednesday at MKCG Auditorium of Utkal University.
The festival, organised by Institute of Media Studies (IMS) in association with Utkal University, emphasised that culture is the driving force behind national integration.
Gracing the festival as chief guest, eminent author Haraprasad Das said, “Even as Odia language holds 18th position as an international language, it is yet to make its mark as a global language. He added that we need to be aware of the state of our language and policy must be formulated accordingly.”
Chairing the inaugural ceremony, Vice-Chancellor Sabita Acharya said Odisha has been a repository of one of the world’s finest cultural heritages. The state has a rich artistic heritage and has produced some of the finest examples of Indian art and architecture. Besides, tribal culture forms an important part of the colourful spectrum of Odisha, she added.
Noted writer Nihar Ranjan Dash pointed out that one should be committed and devoted to one’s mother, soil, motherland and mother tongue.
Professor Nishamani Kar stressed that Bharat, the mother of civilisations, is different from the rest of the world. He said spirituality of life in India is defined by Vedas, puranas and Upanishads and added that Odisha and the Odia Culture has a legacy to be proud of which has a vision to look forward to and a rich heritage to proclaim.
Madhusudan Padhi, former Additional chief secretary, Government of Odisha, said, “Language is a vehicle of culture and one must promote our language through programs like Utsav Odisha.”
In a plenary session titled ‘NEP: A tool to ensure national integration’, Vice Higher Education Council Ashok Das, Utkal University PG Council Chairperson Navaneet Rath, Professor Niranjan Padhi and Madhusudan Das, Special Secretary, OLL&C, Government of Odisha discussed the role of NEP as a tool to ensure national integration.
PNN