The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), Regional Office has been shifted from the Ravenshaw University campus in Cuttack to Jyoti Vihar at Palaspali in Bhubaneswar. The new office was inaugurated by Ministry of External Affairs Joint Secretary and ICCR Deputy Director General Arun Kumar Sahu on May 30, informed ICCR Regional Director Radharaman Chatterjee at a Press meet on Saturday.
Speaking about the role and responsibility of the ICCR, DDG Sahu said the body aims at propagating India’s rich cultural heritage and traditions worldwide through various programmes. He informed that more than 6,000 foreign students from across the world are pursuing higher studies in various colleges in India under the ICCR scholarship programme.
Talking about Odisha, Regional Director Sahu said so far 71 students from abroad are studying in different institutions in the State. Of the 71 students, 60 are in the National Institute of Technology, Rourkela (NITR), five in the Ravenshaw University, Cuttack, one in the OUAT and rest five in the Ratikant Mohapatra Odishi Dance Institute. This year, the foreign students’ count is expected to reach 100 in the State.
Asked about the reason for the low presence of foreign students in Odisha, Chatterjee said lack of required number of faculties, poor hostel facility and low quality food are some of the factors for which foreign students do not show interest to come here.