Dubai/ Bhubaneswar: Commemorating the launch of the direct flight operations between Bhubaneswar and Dubai, a special cultural evening ‘Odisha Dibas’ was held at Hotel Le Meridien in Dubai on Tuesday evening.
Chief Minister Shri Naveen Patnaik virtually addressed the gathering of more than 1,000 participants, which included Odia Diaspora in UAE, the Middle East, and dignitaries.
The event kicked off with mesmerising cultural performances by troupes from Odisha arranged by the Department of Odia Language, Literature, and Culture. The main event was launched with the video of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s announcement of flight commencement followed by showcasing of the people boarding the inaugural flight and take-off.
Congratulating the state government on this landmark step towards improving Odisha’s global connectivity, the Consulate General of India in Dubai Dr Aman Puri spoke about how the commencement of direct connectivity between the global city, Dubai and Odisha will create unparalleled opportunities for the state and will connect the state to the world. He expressed confidence that the Odia Diaspora and the Indian Diaspora in UAE and the Middle East will take advantage of this direct connectivity to visit and explore ‘India’s Best Kept Secret.
Minister Ashok Chandra Panda and Development Commissioner Anu Garg also spoke on the occasion.
Chief Minister’s Personal Secretary (5T) VK Pandian interacted with the delegates in an engaging session and outlined the Government of Odisha’s transformation agenda that relies on Technology, Teamwork, Timeliness, and Transparency leading to Transformation. He spoke about how the state has leveraged its natural resources, strategic location, and infrastructure to create a conducive environment for business, trade, tourism, and entrepreneurship to flourish. He called upon the Odia Diaspora in the Middle East to explore the various opportunities that the state offers and join the growth bandwagon.
Highlighting the state government’s efforts towards improving the Diaspora connect, the welcome address was earlier given by Director Odisha Parivar Dilip Routray while the vote of thanks was presented by Director Tourism Sachin R Jadhav.
During the event, Odisha Parivar showcased a video outlining the activities and initiatives taken by the state government over the years to bring the Odia Diaspora together across the globe. The event concluded with a starry performance by Odisha-born Bollywood singer Rituraj followed by dinner with a menu celebrating Odia cuisine.
Earlier during the day, the delegates from Odisha, who had reached the night before on the maiden flight, were taken on a familiarisation trip to various landmark destinations in Dubai to analyse the country’s culture and submit a report highlighting their experience with notes on improving the visitor experience in Odisha.
