Nabarangpur: On the occasion of Utkal Divas, the 90th Odisha Day was celebrated in a grand district-level event held in the evening at the local Shastri Bhavan in Nabarangpur. The program was conducted under the brief chairmanship of District Collector Dr. Subhankar Mohapatra. MLA Gouri Shankar Majhi attended as the chief guest, with special guests including MLA Manohar Randhari, and honored guests such as police officer Akshyak Kumar Panda, Additional District Magistrate Bishwajit Barman, and keynote speaker Dr. Bijay Kumar Mishra.
The guests remembered the selfless sacrifices, contributions, and relentless efforts of the great sons of Odisha who played vital roles in the formation of a separate Odisha province. They emphasized the collective responsibility in building a prosperous, empowered Odisha with pride in its identity. The significance of preserving and promoting Odia language, culture, heritage, traditions, literature, and identity for a brighter future was also highlighted.
In the early morning at 5:00 AM, the Information and Public Relations Department organized a procession through the town, accompanied by patriotic songs and “Utkala Vandana” played with traditional instruments. The procession passed by statues of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Utkalmani Gopabandhu Das, and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, where floral tributes were offered by MLA Gouri Shankar Majhi, Collector Dr. Subhankar Mohapatra, students, teachers, and government officials.
In the evening at the Town Hall, the event commenced with the lighting of the ceremonial lamp. Following this, Odia speech, essay, music, Jhoti (alpana), and pitha (traditional cake) competitions were held among school and college students. The winners were felicitated by the chief guest.
The event also featured cultural performances by institutions such as Odissi Music and Dance School, Anvesha Kalakendra, and Purushottam Kalakendra, showcasing Odissi, Dhemsa, Sambalpuri, and tribal dance forms.
The musical session led by Yugala Kishore Tripathy began with a group of female students singing the patriotic anthem “Bande Utkala Janani.” District Information and Public Relations Officer Manoj Kumar Behera delivered the welcome speech and conducted the proceedings. The cultural segment was coordinated by District Culture Officer Ghasi Harijana.
The event witnessed the presence of students and teachers from various schools, artists, event organizers, intellectuals, and media representatives.
