Bhubaneswar: Distinguished Indologist Hermann Kulke will be among a host of eminent personalities, including recipients of Padma and Sahitya Akademi awards, to be felicitated at the first World Odia Language Conference, being held in Bhubaneswar next month.
The three-day ‘Biswa Odia Bhasha Sammilani’ will be held at Janata Maidan in the state capital from February 3 to 5.
Eminent historian Hermann Kulke and as many as 58 recipients of Padma Awards will be felicitated at the first ever such global meet, a senior official said.
The inaugural day of the event will see the presence of Padmashri Herman Kulke, a distinguished historian with profound expertise in the study and research of the language, culture, literature, and history of the Indian subcontinent.
Born in Berlin, Germany, Professor Kulke’s links with Odisha reflect a special interest in the art and culture of the state. His scholarly contributions to the understanding of Odisha’s history are evident through numerous research articles. Notably, he played a pivotal role as a founding member of the Odisha Research Project from 1970 to 1975, where he served as a coordinator, contributing significantly to the exploration and documentation of Odisha’s historical narratives.
Apart from him, winners of Jnanpith Award, Sahitya Akademi awards, Saraswati Samman, Moortidevi Award, Jaydev Samman, Kabi Samrat Upendra Bhanja Samman, Atibadi Jagannath Das Samman and Dharmapada award will also be feted at the conference.
The past, present and future of Odia language will be discussed at the convention.
The decision to organize the mega conference was taken during the Heritage Cabinet meeting convened on December 19 last year with an aim of popularizing Odia language across the world.
Eminent linguists and language experts of national and international repute are scheduled to participate in the conference.
Students from across the state will be associated with the conference and a special emphasis will be given to popularise Odia amongst youngsters for effective preservation of the language.
There will be four sections at the venue named after Adikabi Sarala Das, Atibadi Jagannath Das, Kabi Samrat Upendra Bhanja and Vyasa Kabi Fakir Mohan Senapati where various topics related to Odia language and literature will be discussed by eminent litterateurs, sources said.
