The Odissi vocal music department of Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya in Bhubaneswar recently organised a seminar-cum-workshop for Odissi vocalists. The programme was organised in two sessions. In the opening session, Sanskrit scholar Nityananda Mishra and mardala player and researcher Sacchidanand Das taught the nuances of music to the students. In the evening session, the college's former teacher Gopal Chandra Panda discussed about the use of Sanskrit and rhythm in Odissi songs. Students also took part in the discussion and performed during the event.
Women's agenda
Utkal University students organised a national seminar on the topic, Women at Crossroads, on February 21. The seminar was divided in two sessions. Experts spoke about how women simultaneously occupied the hall of power and were left stranded on the street in the recent times. Students said it was time to push for a new and comprehensive agenda for women and girls.
Youth programme
A three-day orientation programme on the Decentralised Governance and Youth Development was recently organised on the Sunabeda campus of the Central University of Odisha.
The varsity's economics department, in collaboration with the Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development in Chennai, organised the programme. Vice-chancellor Sachidananda Mohanty emphasised the importance of decentralisation and cited examples of Gandhiji's vision. Students also shared their thoughts on the subject.
Manuscripts
The Odia department of Berhampur University, in collaboration with the National Mission for Manuscripts, recently organised a 21-day workshop on preservation of manuscripts. The mission has around 2,500 palm leaf manuscripts, 50 handwritten ones and several pictorial palm leaf manuscripts dating back to early 19th century. Students were shown various methods and techniques to conserve manuscripts for the future generations. Vice-chancellor R.C. Das said the institute would extend all help for preservation, conservation and collection of manuscripts.
Global warming
As part of the Ravenshaw University's sesquicentennial celebrations, the varsity's NSS wing recently organised a workshop, Controlling Global Warming and Climate Change: Roles of Youth. G.K.Panda, emeritus professor of geography at Utkal University, and Manoranjan Mishra of Gangadhar Meher University shared theirs views in the workshop.
Students discussed about the ways how they could be the drivers of socio-economic and technological change and play an instrumental role to save the earth.
Drugs and diseases
A two-day national seminar on Recent Advances in Novel Drug Delivery System for Herbal Formulations against Neurodegenerative Diseases was recently organised at the SOA University. About 130 researchers from various states attended the seminar, which was sponsored by the Indian Council for Medical Research. About 28 research papers were presented at the seminar. An expert said incorporation of herbal drugs in the delivery system increased solubility, enhanced stability and pharmacological activity and protected from toxicity, physical and chemical degradation.
Healing touch
The first-year students of National Law University in Odisha recently visited the Ramadevi Shishu Bihar School, an institute for mentally challenged children, in Cuttack. They conducted activities such as painting, puzzle-solving, dancing and cricket and badminton matches. The visit was organised as a part of their curriculum of managerial psychology on the theme of power of healing. A group of 13 students visited the school to help the children realise their potential and develop interpersonal relationships.
Annual function
The annual function, Atithya, of Swosti Institute of Management & Social Studies was organised recently. The students took part in various cultural programmes. A meeting was also organised, in which students spoke on current topics. A four-minute video portraying Odisha as a major tourist destination in the country was also released on the occasion.
