BHUBANESWAR : Utkal University has made its mark in the field of education not only in Odisha but across India, said President Droupadi Murmu.
Addressing the 53rd convocation of the university, the President said it leads in the country in terms of its campus, environment and teaching tradition. Murmu, who is an alumnus of the institution, said it is her good fortune to have been a student of Utkal University.
She stated many students of the university including Union Education and Skill Development Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Higher Education Minister of Odisha, Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, author Pratibha Ray, Governor of Reserve Bank of India Shaktikanta Das, Comptroller and Auditor General of India GC Murmu have brought laurels to the university by doing remarkable work in various fields.
The President noted more than two lakh students are studying in colleges affiliated to Utkal University. Murmu said she was glad that more girls won gold medals at the convocation ceremony and also the percentage of girls is greater than boys among students. She paid tributes to visionaries who have contributed to the journey of the university.
Speaking on her childhood, the President said when she was in school, her teachers taught to love mother, motherland and mother tongue. “Education in our mother tongue connects us with our culture. We have inherited a very rich culture and we have to preserve it. We should recognise our roots to preserve the Indian knowledge tradition,” Murmu said.
On the occasion, the President conferred Honoris Causa on principal secretary to the Prime Minister Pramod Kumar Mishra; director general of Meteorology, India Meteorological Department, Mrutunjaya Mohapatra; and managing director of Hindalco Industries Satish Pai. She also gave away gold medals to university toppers.
Earlier in the day, the President inaugurated a national seminar on ‘Tribes of Keonjhar: People, Culture and Heritage’, organised by Dharanidhar University at Keonjhar. She also inaugurated an exhibition of tribal costumes, jewellery and food items.
The President said if any community or group is left out of the mainstream of the country’s development, we cannot call it inclusive development. Therefore, special attention will have to be given to the development of more backward people in tribal communities. Stating the Government of India has launched the PM-JANMAN to empower PVTGs, she said this initiative will provide livelihood, skill development, education, health, housing, tap water, sanitation and nutrition.
Addressing the teachers, the President said that they should pay attention to research along with teaching. She urged them to go to the tribal villages and understand the condition of the villagers. She said that there is a wealth of traditional knowledge in tribal societies. Experienced tribal brothers and sisters know the art of identifying trees, plants and herbs, using them and identifying their special medicinal properties. She said that they should do research on those topics and inspire interested students to also take up research.