Bhubaneswar: Eminent academicians gathered on Wednesday to commend Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan Deemed to be University (SOA) as it marked its 18th Foundation Day, celebrating its significant contributions to higher education and societal impact.
The occasion, held here at the university, saw accolades pouring in for SOA’s remarkable journey under the visionary leadership of its Founder President, Prof. (Dr.) Manojranjan Nayak. Prof. Shreepad Karmalkar, Director of IIT Bhubaneswar, highlighted SOA’s pivotal role in the educational landscape, crediting its growth to visionary leadership that has uplifted the institution within a short span.
“SOA has significantly enhanced the educational scenario with its commitment to excellence in education and research,” remarked Prof. Karmalkar, emphasizing that education goes beyond subject knowledge to fostering critical thinking and diverse learning approaches.
Reflecting on the essence of research, Prof. Karmalkar encouraged a mindset of perseverance and learning from failures, citing historical examples from Thomas Edison’s electric bulb invention attempts to NASA’s space missions.
Addressing the audience, Prof. Karmalkar drew correlations between a nation’s reading habits and its intellectual achievements, noting the influence of avid readership on producing Nobel laureates, as seen in countries like Israel and Hungary.
Babu Singh, Member of the Legislative Assembly, praised SOA for its transformation into a premier educational institution in Odisha and across India. He acknowledged Prof. Nayak’s leadership and called for continued efforts to elevate SOA’s stature further.
Prof. Bibhuti Bhushan Biswal, Vice-Chancellor of Odisha University of Technology and Research (OUTR), lauded Prof. Nayak’s innovative approach and SOA’s impact on the community, highlighted by its recent NAAC re-accreditation with the highest grade.
During the event, the latest issue of ‘SOArchives’, SOA’s monthly newsletter, was unveiled, underscoring the university’s commitment to academic discourse and knowledge dissemination.