Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar, organised “X-Athon 2016” on October 23. A prelude to XIMB’s annual cultural and business festival “Xpressions 2016,” the event called out people to run for a healthy and active life. The route for the 10km marathon began from XIMB campus to Patia Chowk and back. The guest of honour for the event was Lalit Das, an IPS officer, who appreciated the efforts. This year, X-Athon had collaborated with CRY foundation (Child Rights and You) and all the proceeds from the event will be donated to the organisation, thereby enabling many underprivileged children to kick-start their education. More than 500 people, including college students and corporate employees took part in the run.

Culture fest

Students of National Institute Technology, Rourkela, celebrated a multiethnic festival on its campus from October 26 to 30. The students performed a number of dance items.  The performances by foreign students were also appreciated. A Bhutanese song and Afghan dance performance won hearts. A number of food kiosks of popular world cuisines were also set up. Students highlighted various art forms from east, west, north and south zones. A Rabindra sangeet performance was the highlight of the east zone. From the west zone, it was Kalbeliya dance. In the south zone, a Bharatnatyam solo recital and Carnatic medley topped the charts and from the north zone, Hindustani classical music and a Chhath song were awarded.

Radio station

The Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Dhenknal, will have a community radio station. K.G. Suresh, director general of IIMC, announced this on his first visit to Odisha recently after assuming office. He was speaking on the occasion of a meet and greet programme of IIMC alumni association, Odisha chapter, on October 21. Elaborate plans are on to make it operational by 2017, which also happens to be the silver jubilee of the institute. There are also plans to organise national seminars and conferences in different states in the eastern region as a part of the celebrations. A media museum, with special focus on media in Odisha, will also be established here. More than 50 alumni members were present on the occasion. 

Revisiting Paika 

A two-day seminar celebrating the 200 years of Paika rebellion was hosted on the OUAT campus recently. Around 33 historians and scholars from across the state took part in the seminar and presented their reports on the historic event. Several Odia scholars consider the Paika mutiny as the first freedom struggle before Independence and even before the First War of Independence. Bhagyalipi Malla from Odisha State Archives spoke about over 50 documents available with the state government that prove that the rebellion was the first revolt. A number of students from various colleges across the state took part in the event. 

Law workshop

Students of National Law University, Odisha, organised a workshop at Dompara Anchalika Mahavidyalaya in Cuttack to create awareness among students about legal rights and importance of law. Ten students of the varsity staged a short play highlighting the flaws in today’s legal system. The problems of society, including crime, corruption and murder, were also reflected by the students in the play aimed at creating awareness as well as highlighting the importance of the legal system and education. The students were a part of the IDIA (Increasing Diversity by Increasing Access) project that sensitises and assists underprivileged children to acquire quality legal education by empowering them.

Young poets’ society

A poetry club was inaugurated at the Central University of Odisha by Sachidananda Mohanty, vice-chancellor of the varsity, on its Sunabeda campus in Koraput district on October 24. Poets such as Prithidhar Samal, Sarala Behera, Rabi Satapathy and Jaladhar Swain were present on this occasion. The aim of the club is to reinvigorate a sense of poetic ecstasy in the young hearts through recitation and discussions. Mohanty recited a few poems written by Odia poet Bidyut Prabha Devi such as Priyabani, Pratighat and Jeevan Jhada. 

NAAC visit

The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) team  concluded its three-day visit to Kendrapada Autonomous College recently. They visited various departments and interacted with students. The chairman of the team, Md. Iqbal Ali, former vice-chancellor of Satavahan University and presently a faculty member at Kakatiya University, lauded the college for its growth over the years and achieving 'A' grade in the past. He suggested erecting a boundary wall around the campus, modernising the laboratories, improving the hostel kitchen and opening PG classes. 

Legal camp

A legal literacy camp was organised at Rairangpur Women’s College recently. The programme was conducted in order to create awareness among the women about the legal provisions available in the country’s judicial system for their own security. Additional sessions judge, Rairangpur, Arabinda Kumar Guru, sub-collector Arun Mahapatra and other senior judicial officials spoke at the meeting.

Digital workshop

The NSS wing of Fakir Mohan University, Balasore, organised a digital workshop on the campus. Around 220 students from 20 colleges and 30 officials from the university participated in the workshop. Experts in the field interacted with the students on various opportunities of technology for business growth. Students who won competitions organised on the campus were felicitated. Besides, the best volunteers of NSS wing were also honoured. 

Swimming competition

Ten students from various colleges under the Sambalpur University participated in the All India Inter-university Swimming Competition at Chandigarh. The participants, including four girls and six boys, took part in the competition under the guidance of Narottam Panda. They were selected following their performance in the inter-college competition of the university organised at the Jhasketan Sahu Swimming Pool in Sambalpur this month. Students of 16 colleges under the Sambalpur University took part in the meet.

In memoriam

Ispat Autonomous College, Rourkela, honoured Santosh Kumar Nayak on the occasion of police martyr’s day celebrations held recently. A memorial stone was erected in the name of Nayak, who was an old student of the college, and was working with the Border Security Force. He lost his life on February 4,1996, at Khayam Chowk in Kashmir. The BSF had sent a special emissary, M.K. Gaikwad, and the memory plaque was installed on the campus.