BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Sunday announced that Bakulavana and Vana Vidyalaya at Satyabadi will be restored and developed to make them heritage tourism spots.
Addressing the Satyabadi Mahotsav-2025, the CM said Sakhigopal temple and its surrounding areas will also be developed. Necessary infrastructure and all kinds of basic facilities will be developed in the area on basis of the identity and pride of Satyabadi.
Majhi further said Satyabadi was the seat of Odia renaissance and the Van Vidyalaya a centre of Odia national consciousness. Satyabadi’s Panchasakha was like a mirror of society. They reflected the ethos of human life through education and were the messengers of intellectual freedom in Odisha.
“Our government has started efforts to revive the heritage Satyabadi Vana Vidyalaya, which illuminated entire Odisha with the light of education. In order to make the present generation aware of the heritage and traditions of this school, an educational environment will be developed in Bakulavana according to its basic structure,” he said.
The CM said the Vana Vidyalaya was a man-making factory in Odisha. Due to the sacrifice and devotion of the gurus under the guidance of Pandit Gopabandhu, the Vana Vidyalaya was considered a model educational centre in the state. The school groomed students to be service-oriented and self-reliant, said.
Before attending the Satyabadi Mahotsav, Majhi visited the Odia University and took stock of its infrastructure. He also interacted with students and teachers.
He said the infrastructure development work of Odia University will be expedited. It will be transformed into a centre of excellence in the field of education and research on Odia literature. It will act as a major centre for the propagation of Odia identity.
Describing the history of Satyabadi, the CM said at the time of the country’s independence, the Panchasakha were not only running the Vana Vidyalaya but also contributed to the freedom struggle with their writings.