BHUBANESWAR : Eminent linguist, scholar Dr Debiprasanna Pattanayak will be conferred the lifetime achievement award for his contribution to Odia language and linguistics at the first World Odia Language Conference-2024.
The three-day conference, which is aimed at celebrating the antiquity and continuity of Odia language, will begin in the city from February 3. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will present the award to Pattanayak during the conference in recognition of his lifelong dedication towards research in Odia language. He will be presented Rs 20 lakh and a citation. This was announced by the chief minister’s office on Wednesday. Pattanayak was instrumental in facilitating the classical language status for Odia language.
His name was recommended for the award by a committee comprising president of the Indian Language Council and former professor of the department of Linguistics, University of Hyderabad G Uma Maheshwar Rao, vice-chancellor of Odia University Prof Sabita Pradhan, vice-chancellor Of Utkal University of Culture PK Swain and project director of Centre of Excellence for Studies in Classical Odia Prof Basant Kumar Panda.
Meanwhile, Odia Language, Literature and Culture department secretary Sujata Karthikeyan informed mediapersons that the conference will have 16 academic sessions on various topics related to Odia language, literature and cultural heritage. The deliberations will see scholars like Herman Kulke, Uwe Skoda, Arlo Griffths and Annette Achmiedchen, among others.
During the inaugural session on Saturday, a commemorative postal stamp will also be inaugurated by the Chief Minister. The conference will showcase a well curated exhibition of Odisha’s glorious past and the transformative present and the aspirational future. The exhibition will be on three broader themes and timelines - ancient, medieval and modern.