Odia University

My first newspaper article in Odia language, published today:

Dash, D. P. (2018, August 20). ଓଡ଼ିଆ ବିଶ୍ଵବିଦ୍ୟାଳୟ: ଅସ୍ପଷ୍ଟ ଆଭିମୁଖ୍ୟ [Odia University: Nebulous mission]. Dharitri, p. 6. Retrieved from http://dharitriepaper.in/edition/755/bhubaneswar/page/6

Summary in English

The article raises several questions relating to the possible focus, role, impact, and accountability of the new Odia University, proposed to be set up in the Satyabadi region of Odisha, India. The sociocultural scenario in that region presents a picture of stagnation or even gradual decline, since India's independence from colonial rule. In that setting, can a new university bring about a positive change? Can it generate the dynamism necessary for reconstituting a healthy and vibrant community there? Universities are not only mirrors of humanity’s great heritage, they are also laboratories for testing new visions of the future. Would the Odia University be engaged in studying only the ancient history of the Odia language or would it be equally engaged with the current promises and predicaments of the language, both within and outside Odisha? What active role would the university play in the construction of a future? There are many universities in the country which are not in a position to assert the exact benefits they are producing. We hear that most Indian graduates are neither employable nor self-supporting. Let us wish that the new Odia University may sustain a sense of responsibility, integrity, and quality in every sphere of its work.