Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Apr 2:

The 82nd Utkal Dibasa was celebrated in Arunachal Pradesh with much fanfare by Odia Samaj of Sadiya (Assam)-Roing (Arunachal Pradesh) yesterday.

The event was celebrated at Roing to commemorate the formation of Odisha as a separate province on April 1, 1936.

Speaking on the occasion, Lower Dibang Valley district SP Sanjay Kumar Sain, who attended the programme as the chief guest, lauded the efforts of Odia Samaj in organising the event.

He said that such functions would significantly contribute towards the development process through cross-cultural connections reinforcing the unity and integrity of India.

Addressing the gathering, Kasturba Gandhi Institute of Higher Education (KGIHE) chairman Komini Meto thrust upon the contributions of Odias to the trajectory of human resource development in Arunachal Pradesh.

B R Das, Coordinator of the Programme dwelt upon at length on the role of Kalinga Empire in the ancient maritime trade and spread of Buddhism from Odisha to Southeast Asia.

While delivering his views, Government Model Degree College Associate Professor Jajati K Pattnaik said that Odisha has tremendously contributed in the field of agriculture, service industry, art, architecture, culture, cuisine, handicraft and handloom and recently in the evolution of India’s soft power or Mausam policy coined by the present political dispensation led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The cultural troupes with the native costumes, songs and dances sparkled the occasion.