Bhubaneswar: While the government of Odisha has stepped up various measures proactively for the promotion of millets, a Class VII girl from Jeypore in Koraput has extended a big hand in this regard.
Meet Harshita Priyadarshini, a student of Prakash Vidyalaya in Jeypore who has personally taken the government’s awareness programme a step ahead. Her contribution towards the promotion of the traditional food grain has drawn lot of appreciations from various quarters, including the state government.
Harshita became the centre of attraction at the ongoing International Convention on Millets (ICM) in Bhubaneswar with her wide range of grain collections. Her stall displaying her millet collections witnessed a huge footfall, while she was seen busy making the public aware of the nutritious ancient cereals.
She started collecting the grain in January-February this year and within a span of eight-nine months, she successfully collected 80 species of millet and preserved them in separate small bowls. Besides millet, she also pursues a passion for collecting currencies of different countries. Till now, she has over 2,000 coins of different countries, Harshita informed.
Aside the state-level event, she found a place in the Global Symposium on Farmers’ Rights held in September in New Delhi to showcase her collections. She said the symposium was graced by President Droupadi Murmu.
Aspiring to be an agronomist, a talented Harshita with an excellent academic record has coordinated her passion and study well. “I usually spend time in collection of grains on Sunday and holidays so that my study is not hampered. I collect the grains from my locality and neighbouring districts. For which, I have to spend a few bucks from my own pocket,” she said.
For her splendid job, she was recently felicitated by Koraput MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati during Dussehra in Koraput.
A year ago, she attended the District Biodiversity Meeting in Koraput organised by an NGO where she got the first inspiration to collect and preserve the old grains. And now, she gained a new identity for the noble initiative.
Various kinds of Ragi, over hundred varieties of paddy grains and wide range of millets add beauty to her grain bank. At the ICM, grains like Bajra, sunya rice, little millet, Chilika, Kutinga, Barasi, Bhairabi, Badheli, Majala and many more became the cynosure of all eyes.
Her unique exercise for a noble cause also inspires her friends and schoolmates, she said.
