Bhubaneswar: Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, who was on a two day visit to Odisha, highly praised the culture, architecture and craft of the state.
During his stay, the President along with his wife visited the heritage village of Raghurajpur, the world-famous Sun Temple at Konark and Kalabhoomi, the “vibrant cultural display” unit here.
The President interacted with local artisans specializing in the Pattachitra art and praised their intricate craftsmanship at Raghurajpur. He also toured various landmarks in the village, including the exhibition center, Anganwadi center and health center, before proceeding to Konark today.
At Konark, President Shri Shanmugaratnam first visited the IOCL Interpretation Center and later toured the Sun Temple, guided by representatives from the Archaeological Survey of India. Detailed insights into the temple’s historical and architectural significance were provided. The visiting Singapore delegation also explored the temple complex.
On last evening, Shri Shanmugaratnam along with his spouse spent four hours at the art gallery at Kalabhoomi and appreciated the art, handicraft and handloom of Odisha.
He visited the Jagannath Gallery in the complex and witnessed the various costumes of the Lord, the chariot wheels, replicas of chariots and kadua used for preparing Mahaprasad. He spent some time in the gallery and appreciated the spiritual consciousness and traditions of the State. The President’s wife bought a saree and paid for it through UPI.
The President later watched cultural programmes and attended a dinner reception organized at Kalabhoomi. He savoured the traditional Odia delicacies which were offered to him. Later, a cultural programme was organized to reflect the close ties between India and Singapore. Along with Odissi dance, a fusion dance of Odisha and Singapore was performed on the occasion.
Speaking to media persons here this evening, Shri Shanmugaratnam said, “I have decided to visit Odisha because the east is now rising in India as the Indian government is giving priority to this region. The culture of Odisha is humble.”
The per capita income level of the state is lower than the average, but, Odisha is aspiring to move up and with the right focus. Odisha is poised for a new stage of development and the state is very keen to work with Singapore with very specific projects including skill, petrochemical, industrial parks, sustainability or green ammonia, IT, FinTech, Semiconductor, AI, and InsureTech.
“The State’s priorities also match with Singapore’s strengths and I feel that we will benefit by collaborating with Odisha,” he said.
Stating that the tourism sector is also a significant opportunity for investment in Odisha, the President said the state is quite unique in India because it has a combination of Hinduism and Buddhism legacy along with attracting coastline, crafts, interesting eco sites, where Singaporean companies would definitely look into the opportunities in the sector.