Ravenshaw University is getting refurbished in war-footing manner for the three-day Indian History Congress beginning here from Saturday. In fact, the campus would be playing host to the largest body of academicians and researchers of social science for the second time ever since the congress was formed way back in 1935.
While the University is now hosting the 74th session of the congress, its 12th session was held here (erstwhile Ravenshaw college) in 1949 under the aegis of Dr Harekrushna Mahatab. Eminent historian of the State Dr Manmathnath Das played the pivotal role in bringing the congress once again to the State when Utkal University hosted its 38th session in 1977.
While the session would have a special Odisha panel to discuss for two days about the history and the contemporary status of the State vis-a-vis Society, State and Region, the main attraction of the session would be a special evening with renowned historian Prof Romila Thaper. She would be delivering a lecture on ‘Historical Traditions of Early North India’ on the inaugural day on Saturday.
Padmashree Prof Hermann Kulke and four members of parliament from the State—Bhartruhari Mahatab, Baijayant Panda, Pinaki Mishra and Sashibhusan Behera are the panelists who would be participating as panelists for the Odisha panel. Other panelists who would be speaking on rethinking society, State and region in Odisha include Dr Sugimoto of Japan, Prabhat Patnaik of JNU, R Hardenberg, a German anthropologist and economist Pradipta Choudhury.
Besides the above programmes, the session would also have six parallel sections in which nearly 1300 papers would be presented by the delegates on ancient, medieval, modern, countries other than India, archaeology and contemporary India.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will inaugurate the Congress in the newly constructed Convention Center in presence of Badrinarayan Patra, local MP Bhartruhari Mahatab and Indian History Congress president Prof Indu Banga.