Digitise Odisha’s Heritage to Take It Global, Says Padma Shri Debi Prasanna Pattanayak

Bhubaneswar: Eminent linguist and Padma Shri awardee Dr. Debi Prasanna Pattanayak on Wednesday underscored the need to digitally document Odisha’s cultural heritage and project it globally, saying authentic information on the state’s landmarks, personalities, festivals and traditional cuisine should be made easily accessible through digital platforms.

Speaking at the inauguration of ‘Parichaya’, a two-day workshop organised by the Odisha Virtual Academy (OVA) at the CYSD auditorium, Dr. Pattanayak said preserving the Odia language and culture in the digital age requires systematic documentation backed by credible data. He also commended the Academy for its sustained efforts to promote and preserve the Odia language through digital initiatives.

The workshop brought together delegates from different districts of Odisha to deliberate on documenting the state’s prominent tourist destinations, cultural icons, historical personalities, festivals, traditions and culinary heritage. The discussions focused on creating authentic digital content that can enhance Odisha’s global visibility while preserving its rich cultural identity.

Chairing the inaugural session, Odisha Virtual Academy Secretary Dr. Pradeep Kumar Rout highlighted the role of cultural heritage in driving economic development. He said promoting Odisha’s unique destinations, institutions, traditional attire and cuisine can generate livelihood opportunities and encourage greater participation of young people in the state’s economic growth.

The programme featured four technical sessions covering various aspects of Odisha’s cultural documentation and digital preservation. Experts including Dr. Ajay Kumar Mishra, Dr. Abhiram Biswal, Dr. Shantanu Kumar Rath, Manas Muduli and Ritu Patnaik shared their views on strengthening digital documentation of the state’s heritage.

The concluding session was addressed by Jagadananda, founder of CYSD, Sabyasachi Hota, General Manager of the Odisha Computer Application Centre (OCAC), and Dr. Manoranjan Pothal, Managing Director of Odisha Knowledge Corporation Limited (OKCL), who emphasised the importance of technology in preserving and disseminating Odisha’s cultural legacy.

Participants from across the state were felicitated with traditional angavastra for their contributions to the workshop.