Bhubaneswar : Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bhubaneswar has joined the Nation in celebrating the 77th Independence Day of our motherland with the theme of this year ‘Nation First, Always First’. Prof. Shreepad Karmalkar, Director of the Institute hoisted the National Flag on the occasion, followed by the National Anthem sung by everyone in a rhythmic chorus. He also offered floral tribute to Bharat Mata and the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi. Students and employees with their families participated in the celebration in large numbers with patriotic fervour and great enthusiasm.
In his Independence Day Address, Prof. Karmalkar remembered the martyrs and freedom fighters who laid down their lives for India’s Independence. He recalled the great warriors of the first mutiny in India towards country’s Independence known as the Paika Rebellion, under the leadership of Buxi Jagabandhu and Jayi Rajguru, held in Odisha in 1817 against the British Rulers. He also emphasized on the virtue of unity amidst diversities that is an inherent part of our country and urged that we all should respect this value. In his message, he asked all stakeholders of IIT Bhubaneswar to strive to have an open mind, providing a common ground for diverse views with empathy. He also asked to use appropriate feedback to assess and improve governance and performance of the Institute. He stressed on the implementation of National Education Policy 2020 in the Institute with full vigour. As first step taken in this line, he referred to the MoU signed with AIIMS Bhubaneswar for the implementation of Artificial Intelligence in the medicine sector. He also informed the community about the initiatives being taken towards creating outstanding school teachers by the introduction of a 4-year BSc.-BED Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP) from the 2023-24 Academic Year. For the faculty members of IIT Bhubaneswar, he mentioned that various workshops have been planned and a Teacher Portfolio has also been introduced to ensure the effectiveness of teaching. “National Education Policy 2020 lays stress on development of a research mindset, communication skill, critical thinking, and scientific temper. To ensure this, the Institute has planned to introduce an activity-based course called ‘Introduction to Research’ for all PhD students,” he said. He also informed that the Institute has introduced the position of ‘Professor of Practice’ for excellence in research and Industry-Academia Interface leading towards an all-round growth in education sector.
The celebration also showcased March-Past by the security unit, National Cadet Corps (NCC) and exciting performances by the students and staff of the Institute. Among others, Shri Bamadev Acharya, Registrar of the Institute, Prof. Rajesh Roshan Dash, Dean (Student Affairs), Dr. Srinivasa Ramanujam Kannan, Professor In-Charge, Extra-Academic Activities were notably present on the occasion. A vibrant cultural programme was also organised in the evening to mark the Independence Day celebrations enjoyable and eventful.
