An international Odia conference will be held in New Delhi in 2014. It was announced during the concluding session of the first Jatiya Odisha Swabhiman Sammilani, a conference of Odias living in and outside Odisha held in the city on Sunday. The conference was organised jointly by the Mahan Sangh and Antarjatiya Odia Swabhiman Paratisthan. Mahan Sangh convenor Susant Sabat said regional Odisha Swabhiman Sammilani conferences would be held in Kolkata and New Delhi in near future. During the New Delhi conference, dates of the international Odia conference to be held in the nation’s capital would be finalised.
The concluding day of the first Jatiya Odisha Swabhiman Sammilani had several dignitaries as guests. They included former State Finance Minister Panchanan Kanungo, senior BJP leader and former State Minister Biswa Bhusan Harichandan, writer and MP Baishanab Charan Parida, Rajya Sabha joint secretary Satya Narayan Sahu, and Berhampur University Vice-Chancellor Deepak Behera.
On the concluding day discussions were held regarding the economic, cultural and linguistic development of Odias living in Odisha and outside. Most of the speakers were of the opinion that Odisha was rich in mineral reserve which has not been properly tapped yet. Similarly they were also of the view that the language and culture of Odisha was too rich but the new generation was yet to be properly proud about it. “We should remember that Odia language has now been accepted as one of the classical languages of the country and it is high time for our new generation to be proud about it,” they said.
Prof. Behera lauded the common mass of Odisha for its silent efforts to keep alive rich language heritage of Odisha. According to him, the educated mass may be finding it hard to use proper Odia dialect, yet the commoners have kept alive the rich colloquial form of Odia.
Mr. Harichandan also called upon all to make efforts so that the generation gets related to the folk and classical art, dance and theatre forms of Odisha which are identity of the State.
Mr Parida stressed upon the need of enhancing status of Odia language in modern society. Mr Kanungo in his speech elaborated the tradition of inland and international trading by Odias in history. “We have to take measures to enliven the past economic development of our State,” he said.
