Bhubaneswar: Odisha Government and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi have signed an MoU today for the establishment of the Biju Patnaik Special Centre for Odia Studies at JNU.
Secretary Higher Education, Arvind Agrawal and Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit Vice Chancellor JNU, signed the MoU.
The MoU has been signed in presence of Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, Minister Higher Education, Chief Secretary, Pradeep Kumar Jena, Development Commissioner, Anu Garg and Secretary Odia Language Literature and Culture, Sujata Rout Karthikeyan.
With a generous contribution of the State Government of a one-time non-recurring corpus money for the endowment amounting to Rs. 10 Crore, the proposed Biju Patnaik Special Centre aims to delve into the leadership, governance, and contributions of the visionary leader of India, the Bhoomiputra of Indonesia and the former Chief Minister of Odisha, Biju Patnaik.
It plans to initiate a Master’s Program covering various facets of Odia Studies, strengthen cultural bonds with the Odisha Diaspora, and promote contemporary Odia Literature and Art.
The focus areas of this Special Centre include international teaching and research in Odia Language and Literature, exploring historical maritime linkages of Kalinga Empire with South east Asia, diasporic connections, and promoting contemporary Odia culture through publications and collaborative research.
Other senior officers of Department of Higher Education Prof Udaynath Sahu from Adikabi Sarala Das Chair, JNU were present on the occasion. Earlier in the day, Vice Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University Prof Shntishree Dhulipudi Pandit today met Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik here at Naveen Niwas.
During the discussion, Pandit admired the CM’s transformational initiatives in Odisha that have brought visible changes in every sector of Odisha. She describes Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik as the finest example of Cooperative federalism.
She appreciated the efforts to promote Odia language and culture, and expand its scope beyond Odisha.
She said the Special Centre at JNU will create favourable conditions for promotion of Odia language, literature and culture.
Praising Biju Patnaik’s role in the Indonesian freedom struggle, she said Biju Babu single-handedly raised the glory of Odisha to the global level.
She also appreciated the efforts of the chief minister to promote regional languages and culture, developing a pan Indian identity for them.
