Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday unveiled the logo of the first World Odia Language Conference – “Biswa Odia Bhasha Sammilani” – with the tagline ‘Language is the Future’.
On this occasion, the Chief Minister wished the three-day conference, to be held from February 3 to 5, a huge success.
“I hope this conference will serve as a good forum for exchange of views among intellectuals, researchers, scholars, and students,” the CM said.
Stating that Odisha is the first linguistic state in modern India, Naveen said Odia language has gained the status of one of the classical languages and has increased the glory of our soil and language. The first World Odia Conference will discuss the past, present, and future of the Odia language and set goals for its propagation, he said.
The Chief Minister further said that as a strong carrier of a unique heritage, the conference will find ways to increase the respect for the Odia language among our future generations and how our language can progress through modern technology, as well as the future course of action.
It may be recalled that the world conference was approved at a meeting of Heritage Cabinet chaired by the Chief Minister on December 19, 2023.
The Chief Minister has already appealed to all stakeholders to make the conference a grand success. He has directed the Odia Language, Literature and Culture department to coordinate with all concerned for smooth conduct of the event.
“The World Odia Language Conference will reflect the unique identity of our language. It will deliberate on how to further popularise Odia as a classical language. It will attempt to attract the young generation of the state to adopt the language in various technical applications in present time,” he had said earlier.
Eminent linguists and language researchers from around the world will deliberate on antiquity and continuity of Odia language in the three-day conference. Besides discussing the origin, development and spread of the language, the experts will also make fact-based presentation on the outline on its history, present and future.
