Bhubaneswar: In a significant step towards preserving and promoting Odisha’s spiritual and cultural heritage, a high-level meeting was held today under the chairmanship of Usha Padhee, Principal Secretary of the Housing & Urban Development Department, to deliberate on the creation of a world-class Sri Jagannath Museum, Library, and Culture Research Centre in Puri.
The meeting focused on preparing an integrated roadmap for the proposed institution, which aims to celebrate and conserve the unique spiritual, historical, and cultural legacy of Lord Jagannath and the holy city of Puri. The roadmap will be submitted to the appropriate authorities for further action.
Speaking at the meeting, Padhee underscored the significance of this cultural initiative. “Our efforts are aimed at safeguarding the sanctity of Puri while also upgrading urban infrastructure to reflect our cultural pride. This is in alignment with the vision of Viksit Odisha,” she said.
The proposed centre is envisioned as a landmark institution that will serve not only as a repository of the Jagannath tradition but also as a hub for cultural research and education. It forms part of the State Government’s broader agenda to drive heritage preservation, urban transformation, and tourism development.
Several senior officials took part in the deliberations, including Balwant Singh, Secretary, Tourism; Dr. Bijay Ketan Upadhyay, Secretary, Odia Language, Literature & Culture Department; Arindam Dakua, Director, Municipal Administration; Dibya Jyoti Parida, Collector, Puri; Samir Hota, MD, OBCC; Debabrata Sahoo, Administrator (Development), SJTA; Debaprasad Dash, Special Secretary, OLL&C; Siba Prasad Mohapatra, Additional Secretary, Law Department; and Pradip Kumar Sahu, Joint Secretary, Revenue Department.
