Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday has called upon to work together to protect Odia identity and pride.
Inaugurating the state-level celebrations of Utkal Divas, the Chief Minister greeted the Odias in different parts of the state and the world.
In 1936, the dream of formation of a separate state of Odisha came true. Odisha has scripted history as the country’s first language-based state.
The formation of the unique Odisha state was possible due to the endless sacrifices and continuous struggle of Utkal Gourav Madhusudan Das, Utkalmani Pandit Gopabandhu Das, Parla Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati Narayana Dev, Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanj Deo, Fakir Mohan Senapati, Pandit Godabarish Mishra and Maharaja Harihara Mardaraj, the Chief Minister said.
The Chief Minister paid his humble tributes the great personalities who contributed for the creation of a special Odisha state.
The Chief Minister further said that the Odia language has got the status of a classical language today. The art and culture of Odisha is making our identity even brighter abroad. Odia brothers and sisters living abroad have enhanced the glory of this land with their skills. This holy land has given the message of peace, love, non-violence and goodwill to the whole world, the CM said while called upon all to work together for the protection of the integrity and dignity of the Odia land.
The programme was attended by Information & Public Relations Minister Pradip Kumar Amat, Chief Secretary Pradeep Kumar Jena, Commissioner-Cum-Secretary of Odia Language, Literature and Culture Department Sujata Rout Karthikeyan, Principal Secretary of I&PR Department Sanjay Kumar Singh and other senior officials.