Intl conclave on Buddhist heritage begins

Participants at the 4th Kalinga International Buddhist Conference in Bhubaneswar on Monday

Bhubaneswar: The 4th International Buddhist Conference began at Udayagiri here on Monday, with a view to promote Buddhist heritage of Odisha as a niche tourism product within and outside the country.

Organised jointly by the department of tourism in association with Odishan Institute of Maritime and South-East Asian Studies and Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in support of Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC) and Odisha Mining Corporation(OMC), the three-day event was inaugurated by industries minister Debi Prasad Mishra in the presence of Badchana MLA Amar Prasad Satpathy and secretary, tourism, Arti Ahuja.

Eleven foreign tour operators from Malaysia, Vietnam, Nepal and Sri Lanka participated in the inaugural day. Monks from different countries also attended the conference.

The department of tourism has been organising an international conference on Buddhism at Udayagiri since 2013. “The idea is to bring to light the rich Buddhist heritage through scholastic deliberations and discussions inviting scholars, academicians, researchers, historians and above all tour operators and travel agents from within and outside India to promote this glorious chapter of Odisha’s history,” said an officer.