Bhubaneswar: The much-awaited state-level children’s festival ‘Suravi’ began in a vibrant atmosphere at Capital High School, Unit-3, Bhubaneswar, on Wednesday. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi inaugurated the three-day event organized by the School and Mass Education Department, describing it as “a platform for dreams, creativity, thoughts, and the holistic development of every child.”
Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister said, “Children are our future and our hope. Making their dreams come true and guiding them is our highest priority.” He lauded ‘Suravi’ as a unique initiative that provides children an opportunity to showcase their hidden talents and creativity on a state platform.
More than 2,400 students, along with teachers and over 1,000 government officials and employees, are participating in this year’s festival. Through the ‘Nipun Odisha–Nipun Bharat’ program, students from Classes 1 to 3 have also been given opportunities to compete from the school to cluster levels.
At the event’s outset, the Chief Minister toured various exhibitions put up by students and felicitated top performers from across the state.
Awards of ₹20,000 each were presented to Debandra Khamaria (Arts), Sushil Kumar Nayak (Science), Swarna Rekha Mantri (Commerce), and Supriya Sutar (Vocational Education) for securing the highest marks in the Plus Two examinations.
The CM also conferred the Chief Minister’s Language Scholarships on five students and distributed wheelchairs to differently-abled students.
Highlighting his government’s focus on education, CM Majhi said, “Odisha has allocated a record ₹41,273 crore to the education sector this year, which accounts for 14.2% of the total budget and 3.9% of the state’s GDP — a distinction achieved by only a few states in India.”
He added that the largest share of this budget is dedicated to primary education, reflecting the government’s commitment to nurturing young minds.
The Chief Minister further noted that the government is implementing the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 from school to university levels and has launched ‘Shishu Batika’ programmes in 45,000 schools across the state to strengthen early childhood education. Child care workers will soon be appointed to ensure better care and learning for pre-primary students.
Echoing similar sentiments, School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond said that all stages of education—primary, secondary, higher secondary, and higher—must grow together for holistic progress. He emphasized that Suravi helps children develop self-confidence and express their creativity and intellect.
The three-day festival, which will run from November 12 to 14, includes competitions, local excursions, workshops, Model United Nations sessions, science project exhibitions, and group cultural performances. The event aims to inspire young learners to explore their potential and contribute meaningfully to nation-building.
Other dignitaries present at the inaugural ceremony included Bhubaneswar Ekamra MLA Babu Singh, School and Mass Education Department Commissioner-cum-Secretary N. Thirumala Naik, OSEPA State Project Director Ananya Das, Director of Secondary Education Birendra Karkara, and Director of Higher Secondary Education Niyati Pattnayak.
