(From top) Participants dabble in fabric painting at a two-day workshop at the Apparel Training and Design Centre in Bhubaneswar. Postgraduate students of Sambalpur University on their way to attend a class. The varsity is conducting entrance tests to PG courses, which will conclude on July 1. Telegraph pictures

Apparel Training and Design Centre (ATDC), Bhubaneswar, organised a two-day workshop on fabric painting on varied textile base that concluded on June 22. The event, attended by around 50 enthusiasts from across the state, aimed to generate awareness among the masses about prospects and training opportunities in the apparel industry. The inaugural session saw a basic introduction of fabric paints widely used in the apparel industry. The participants were later explained about product development, focusing on the use of fabric paint to yield additional shimmer to cushion covers, T-shirts and shoes. The participants also got an opportunity to interact with professionals, who spoke about fabrics and textures in vogue. The workshop also provided lessons in self-employment. “Artisans working at the grassroots level are gifted with skills and craftsmanship but lack technological know-how. They also need to learn marketing strategies to earn profits,” said in-charge of Weavers Service Centre S.K. Patra, who interacted with the enthusiasts. While around 20 participants were from the twin cities, 30 belonging to different age groups were from districts such as Jagatsinghpur and Ganjam. They could be seen experimenting with acrylic colours, outliners and batik prints. Their designs made on converse shoes were the most alluring. “We learnt about different brush strokes and colour combinations. We tried our hands at floral and abstract textures too,” said 26-year-old Sunita Suasia from Berhampur. Centre chief Lopamudra Ghosh, too, reiterated that in spite of talent, artisans were not aware of the demands and market logistics and, hence, the workshop helped them to develop an aesthetic sense keeping Indo-western style in mind. Participation certificates were awarded to the students. ATDC, which functions under the aegis of Apparel Export Promotional Council, plans to organise another workshop next month in Pipili.

Exchange of culture

Three students from Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) and KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, are participating in ‘Global Walk – 2013’, an international student exchange programme being held in South Korea from June 22 to July 6. While Alekha Murmu is a second-year commerce student of KISS, Rohan Anurag and Prajna Jena are in their final-year B.Tech at KIIT pursuing electrical and mechanical engineering courses, respectively. The event is organised annually by Hanseo University, Korea, to promote intramural exchange among students from different parts of the world. The three students from Bhubaneswar are representing India and are among 1000 participants chosen for the Global Walk, which aims to understand mutual cultural characteristics and seek future development visions of people from various parts of the world. In 2010, Rajesh Kumar Barla of KISS along with Sangharsh Satpathy of KIIT had participated in “Global Walk-Green Earth” in Korea from June 24 to 30. Many students from South Korea visit KIIT University and KISS annually under various student exchange programmes.

Entrance rush

Entrance exams for admission into post-graduation courses at Sambalpur University began on June 19 and will conclude on July 1. While the tests for entry into self-financing courses were held in the first phase, entrance tests for regular courses commenced from June 24. The last exam will be held on July 1. So far, the university has already conducted the entrance exams for subjects such as environment science, biotechnology, masters in social work, applied economics, physics, Odia, anthropology, home science and chemistry. “The PG departments are conducting their respective viva voce after the written examination. The group discussion for admission into MBA will be conducted on July 23,” said chairman of PG council of Sambalpur University P.K. Tripathy. “This year, the university has received 3,026 applications for various courses, which is far more as compared to previous years. “This reflects that students are now interested to pursue general courses,” said Tripathy.

Two new choices

KKS Women’s College, Balasore, will run its bio-technology and information technology (IT) courses for Plus Two arts students in a full-fledged manner from this academic season. Both courses have 16 seats each and are attracting several takers. “Students and their parents have been demanding these two courses for a long time. “After much persuasion, the higher education department has allowed us to start both courses. IT would be available in self-financing mode and we have a dedicated, well equipped laboratory for it,” said college lecturer Madhusudan Mishra. The college is now pursuing its demand for starting Plus Three science courses.

Making waves

A dozen trainees at the Staff Training Institute (STI) of Prasar Bharati in Bhubaneswar visited the ‘Voice of SOA 90.4 MH’, the community radio station of the SoA University, on June 26 to get a firsthand knowledge of the functioning of the radio station. The team led by STI assistant director (programme) Dipak Samantarai went around the studio and attended a training session on content designing. The trainees were mostly announcers and transmission executives from different stations of All India Radio in Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bengal and Jharkhand. The team was also felicitated by the community radio station authorities, who presented them with mementoes and certificates. Voice of SOA Community Radio station launched on October 15 last year.