Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will inaugurate the first three-day Biswa Odia Bhasa Sammilani (World Odia Language Conference) on February 3 at the Janata Maidan in Bhubaneswar. As many as 16 special sessions on Odia language, literature, and heritage will be held in five conference rooms during the conference.
A special session on Jagannath consciousness will also be held during the three-day conference. The future aspect and opportunities for the Odia language titled “Odisha @2036: A Space for Tomorrow” will also be organised.
International linguists, hundreds of writers, and literary figures are scheduled to participate in the conference. Various artifacts and photo exhibitions related to the Odia language will be organised at the conference.
According to the main features of the World Odia Language Conference released by the Odisha government, several international scholars including Prof Herman Kulke, Prof Uwe Skoda, Prof Arlo Griffiths, and Prof Annette Achmiedchen will participate in the deliberations.
Dr Debi Prasanna Pattanayak will be honoured with the Life Time Achievement Award for his contribution to Odia language and linguistics. Moreover, Jnanpith Award winners, Padma awardees, Sahitya Academy awardees, Kabir Samman awardees, and winners of the highest awards of state academies will be felicitated.
The conference will showcase an exhibition of Odisha’s glorious past, the transformative present, and the aspirational future. The evolution and development of Odia language and script; ancient rock edicts, copper plate, palm leaf manuscripts, Kalinga style of temple architecture, and maritime and trade contacts of Odisha will be highlighted with artifacts and paintings at the exhibition.
The conference will also discuss the challenges posed by science and technology to Odia language and script.
