Different patriotic programmes and activities like seminars, meetings, essay and song competitions were organised across the State to observe the Sastriya Odia Bhasa Divas on Wednesday. At the State level celebration, a seminar was organsied here wherein Tourism and Culture Minister Ashok Panda and noted linguist and chief patron behind Odia getting the classical tag Debi Prasanna Pattanayak spoke on the importance of the day.
The Minister urged all stakeholders to observe the day with great enthusiasm and patriotism. Successful students who performed in different programmes were felicitated on the occasion. Various Educational institutions also organised seminars to mark the day. Notably, the Union Government on March 11 last year accorded Odia as a classical language. Following the approval, the State Government announced to observe March 11 as the Sastriya Odia Bhasa Divas.