BHUBANESWAR: Massive plans have been drawn up by authorities of both Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya and Rama Devi (RD) Women’s College for their golden jubilee celebration in the last week of November. President Pranab Mukherjee is scheduled to attend the events on November 29 and 30 at Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya and RD College respectively.
Celebrations at Sangeet Mahavidyalaya would be held from November 25 to 30 for which preparations are in the final stages. While several in-house programmes have been planned, the highlight would be lecture demonstrations by artistes of different streams of Indian performing arts, both music and dance.
Eminent writer Manoj Das will deliver a lecture on ‘Odia Music and Culture’ while well-known Indian classicist Bharat Gupt will speak on ‘Natyashastra’.
Artistes roped in for lecture demonstrations include Sarangi player Sabir Khan, Sitar maestro Budhaditya Mukherjee, noted vocalist Chittaranjan Jyotishi and musician Kavalam Narayana Panicker.
“An Odissi performance will be staged by our students for the President,” said college Principal Tamasarani Dasmohapatra.
“The entire college building has been repaired and renovated and auditorium given a new look with light and sound facility,” said Dasmohapatra. A golden jubilee heritage gate is being constructed in front of the Mahavidyalaya and a 100-bed boys’ hostel near BJB College is under construction.
Similarly, RD Women’s College is celebrating its 50th year for three days from November 30 to December 1. Infrastructure wise, the college is being given a new look, besides construction of a 1500-seat convention hall and a hostel that can accommodate 400 students.
While the President will inaugurate a statue on women empowerment on the campus and dedicate the new hostel, the alumni association has planned round-the-year celebration like workshops, seminars, festivals and exhibitions.
“We had decided to shift the golden jubilee celebration to November due to the admission and semester examinations,” said Principal Chitrangada Samant Singhar.