Utkal Divas: Prez, Modi & Naveen Greet People On Utkal Divas | Bhubaneswar News indiatimes.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from indiatimes.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The assembly building illuminated on the eve of Utkal Divas in Bhubaneswar
BHUBANESWAR: Amid rising cases of Covid-19, Odisha is all set to celebrate 85th statehood day, Utkal Divas, on Thursday following Covid protocols. Since the special relief commissioner (SRC) has restricted large gatherings and cultural programmes, the celebrations will be a low-key affair.
The SRC has put a cap on crowd (maximum 200 attendees) in Utkal Divas events with strict adherence to Covid guidelines like social distancing, mandatory wearing of masks, sanitisation and thermal checking. Chief minister Naveen Patnaik will virtually address the state-level Utkal Divas programme scheduled to be held at Jaydev Bhawan here where as speaker Surya Narayan Patro will be chief guest.
Members of Utkal Sammilani have been trying to keep the Odia language alive in the neighbouring states such as West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh
BHUBANESWAR: Chief minister Naveen Patnaik’s recent statement giving precedence to Odia over Hindi has sparked a debate on Odia identity and pride. Sociologists, language experts and the state’s cultural exponents believe that while identity is very important, it must not be at the cost of modernity and development.
Unlike the southern Indian states, people of Odisha have not displayed any inhibition in accepting Hindi as the medium of communication with non-Odias.
“There is no denying that Odia language is the real identity of Odia people. Without language and script, a community cannot thrive and prosper. We cannot think of our dance, music, sculpture and other aspects of our culture without language. We dream in the language of our soul. Odisha was formed on the basis of language and we must carry forward that legacy. I