Bhubaneswar: The 89th Utkal Divas, marking the establishment of Odisha as a separate state based on linguistic identity on April 1, 1936, was commemorated with solemnity at Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan Deemed to be University (SOA) on Monday. Under the guidance of Vice-Chancellor Prof. Pradipta Kumar Nanda, along with the Deans of various institutes, faculty members, senior officials, and staff, floral tributes were offered to the esteemed memory of Utkal Gaurab Madhusudan Das, Utkalmani Gopabandhu Das, Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati Narayan Deo, Vyasakavi Fakir Mohan Senapati, poet Gangdhar Meher, and Dr. Harekrushna Mahtab, the visionaries behind the formation of Odisha as an independent state.
In his reflection on the contributions of these eminent figures, Prof. Nanda articulated the collective responsibility to propel Odisha towards a developed state status by 2036. Engaging in a discourse concerning the state’s advancement, Prof. Nanda underscored the significant contributions made by countless Odias across diverse domains such as art, culture, literature, science, technology, industry, education, and sports throughout the decades.
Notable figures including Prof. Sitikantha Mishra, the Pro-Vice Chancellor, Prof. Manjula Das, the Controller of Examinations, Prof. Manas Kumar Mallick, the Director of the Institute of Technical Education and Research, Prof. Santosh Kumar Rout, the Dean of the Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Prof. Brahmadev Pattnaik, the Dean of the Institute of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, Prof. Susant Kumar Chaini, the Dean of the School of Hotel Management, Prof. Jyoti Ranjan Das, the Dean of Students’ Welfare, Prof. Debajyoti Das, the Additional Dean of the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Prof. Renu Sharma, the Additional Dean of Student Affairs at ITER, Mr. Sanjay Kumar Sahu, the Director of Legal Affairs, Mr. Sashank Choudhury, the HR Officer, and Dr. Madhubrata Mohanty, the Joint Registrar, shared their insightful perspectives.
As a proactive measure, it was unanimously agreed upon to organize Odia essay and debate competitions preceding the ‘Utkal Divas’ celebrations the following year, aiming to foster the popularity of the language among the student community of the university.
