Bhubaneswar: Shri Vishal Kumar Dev, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Electronics and Information Technology, and Energy has championed a new push for the digital preservation of Odisha’s cultural history at the conclusion of a ten-day workshop on manuscriptology. Organized by the Odia Virtual Academy, the program focused on leveraging modern tech frameworks to safeguard the state’s literary legacy.
The intensive training program brought together 52 participants, including students, researchers, teachers, and trainees from various parts of the state. It combined rigorous theoretical lectures with practical field visits to the Odisha State Museum, providing attendees with hands-on exposure to ancient texts.
Speaking at the valedictory session, ACS Shri Dev emphasized the global importance of the initiative. He urged the newly trained participants to actively apply their skills in collecting, cataloging, and transcribing manuscripts, highlighting that such efforts are crucial for expanding the global reach of Odisha’s traditional knowledge heritage. Dev also voiced his confidence in the participants’ ability to drive future language enrichment and digitization projects.
Dr. Pradeep Kumar Raut, Secretary of the Odia Virtual Academy, praised the successful execution of the training. He officially designated the trainees as Manuscript Ambassadors, signaling the Academy’s intent to maintain long-term collaborations with them to safeguard historical documents.
The workshop featured an extensive lineup of eminent scholars and experts who provided guidance throughout the ten days. Notable speakers and mentors included Dr. Prafulla Kumar Mishra, former Vice-Chancellor and ex-Director of the National Mission for Manuscripts; Prof. Prabhat Kumar Mahapatra, Vice-Chancellor of Shri Jagannatha Sanskrit University; and several other academic leaders from institutions like Santiniketan and the Ministry of AYUSH.
A new foundational book focusing on manuscriptology was formally released during the closing ceremony. Representatives from the trainee cohort, including Smt.Sonali Nayak, Shri Sudhanshu Raut, and Shri Abinyas Behera, shared their experiences, noting how the training bridges the gap between traditional history and modern archival needs. The event concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by workshop coordinator Debananda Bhanja.