By Our Correspondent
SAMBALPUR:Sambalpur MP and former Union Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan attended the ‘Maitir Mahak’ program organized at the Rangabati Manch of Sambalpur Gangadhar Meher University and interacted with the Padma awardees of Western Odisha.
Addressing the event, Shri Pradhan said that the individuals who were born in this land and created a new identity with their own efforts and talent and were awarded the Padma Shri are a living example for the society. During the rule of Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Padma Shri has now become the ‘Peoples Award’. Earlier, to receive the Padma Award, one had to go to the prestigious venue of Delhi, but today the Modi government is finding and honoring the real ascetics who have dedicated themselves to folk art, literature, agriculture, education and social service in the villages.
Talking about the unique contribution of the poet Gangadhar Meher to the Odia nation and literature, Shri Pradhan shared his experience of visiting Kotia in Koraput. He said that during his visit to Kotia, he realized the importance and need of imparting education in the mother tongue. Respecting one’s language, culture and tradition and knowing one’s glorious history is the biggest responsibility of today’s time.
Shri Pradhan appealed to the youth and said that today’s youth should study the heroic stories of unsung heroes like Veer Surendra Sai, Kudopali’s struggle, Bakshi Jagabandhu, Pindiki Bahubalendra and the teachings of Padma Vijeeta. Only then will the path of ‘Developed Odisha’ and ‘Developed India’ be paved.
To realize this cultural aspiration, a joint effort is needed to establish an art college in Sambalpur named after the great Sanskrit playwright Murari Mishra, said Shri Pradhan. He expressed his strong belief that this proposed institution will emerge as a major center for education in dance, literature, performing arts as well as modern digital arts and allied arts in the future.
On this glorious occasion, Shri Pradhan honored Padma Award-winning talents from Western Odisha Bhagwat Padhan, Srinivas Udgata, Pattayat Sahu, Haldhar Nag, Jitendra Haripal, Mitrabhanu Gountia, Kailash Chandra Meher and Mahendra Kumar Mishra and congratulated them for their outstanding contribution.
