Events
Inclusivity and Justice must match India’s economic growth: NHRC Member
Even as India advances steadily towards becoming a leading global economic power, challenges such as poverty, caste discrimination and gender inequality continue to focus on the collective effort required to strengthen the foundations of the democracy, Ms. Vijaya Bharathi Sayani, Member of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), observed on Friday.
“India is witnessing an era of rapid technological advancement and economic transformation. Yet, alongside this remarkable progress, we are also reminded of the social realities that call for renewed commitment to inclusivity and justice,” Ms. Sayani said while addressing students and faculty members at Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan Deemed to be University here.
Referring to the October 2025 World Bank Report, she pointed out that around 342 million Indians—accounting for about 23.8 per cent of the population—lived on an income equivalent to 4.20 US dollars a day, with states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Maharashtra facing higher rates of poverty. “These three states account for nearly 46 per cent of India’s poor. The government has been making lots of efforts to alleviate poverty over the last 15 years, yet deprivation continues to remain a pervasive shadow,” she noted.
Highlighting the gap between legal entitlements and lived realities, Ms. Sayani emphasized that ensuring affordable and equitable access to justice was essential, so that no citizen was deterred from seeking redress due to financial constraints.
Referring to the India Justice Report 2025, she highlighted the importance of strengthening access to justice so that no individual was denied liberty due to economic hardship. She noted that enhancing legal aid and ensuring timely bail can help reduce overcrowding in prisons, particularly in states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Maharashtra. “Empowering the underprivileged with equal legal opportunities is vital to fulfilling the Constitution’s promise of equality before the law,” she emphasized.
Presided over by Prof. Pradipta Kumar Nanda, Vice-Chancellor of SOA, the program also featured addresses by Prof. (Dr.) Neeta Mohanty, Pro-Vice Chancellor and Prof. Jyoti Ranjan Das, Dean (Students’ Welfare).
Ms. Sayani described the National Human Rights Commission, established under the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, as a crucial guardian of justice and dignity for the marginalized. “The NHRC is not merely a bureaucratic entity but has become a lifeline for the poor and underprivileged,” she affirmed.
Over the past 32 years, the NHRC has handled more than 23.79 lakh cases, including 2,981 of which had been taken up suo motu, and has provided monetary relief amounting to Rs. 263 crore in 8,924 cases, she informed. “These figures reflect not just the scale of our work, but our unwavering commitment to upholding the rights and dignity of every citizen,” Ms. Sayani concluded.
Be analytical, be meticulous — Hon'ble Justice Dixit’s message to the next generation of lawyers.
Students of law are required to be analytical, meticulous, proficient in both law and language and study a lot to shine in the profession, judge of Orissa High Court, Hon’ble Mr. Justice Krishna Shripad Dixit said on Saturday.
“One has to study different laws and subjects to acquire knowledge as you don’t know what kind of cases you may have to handle,” Hon’ble Mr. Justice Dixit said while addressing the 15th orientation program of the new batch of students of the SOA National Institute of Law (SNIL), faculty of legal studies of Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan Deemed to be University here.
“Law speaks through language and you have to be proficient in language and know both law and language to deal with cases,” he said.
The students of law should be analytical and study logic besides being very sensitive to matters, Hon’ble Mr. Justice Dixit said while citing the case of the Jewish king Solomon and how he solved a difficult case.
The case involved two women and a baby with both claiming to be the mother of the child. It was a difficult case as DNA testing was unknown at that time.
Solomon, regarded as the wisest among all Jewish kings, ordered that the child be cut into two and handed over to the two women. At this, the actual mother of the baby screamed that the child should be given to the other woman as she wanted the baby to survive.
This decided the case and the actual mother of the child could be identified, Hon’ble Mr. Justice Dixit said.
The program was presided over by SOA Vice-Chancellor Prof. Pradipta Kumar Nanda while Prof. S.A.K. Azad, Dean of SNIL, delivered the welcome address.
Stating that there was no substitute for hard work, he cited the example of eminent Indian jurist Nani Palkhivala who had approached the chancellor of Bombay University, where he was a student of law, with the plea that the university library should be kept open beyond its closing time of 5 pm as he wanted to study.
The request was granted and he spent hours among piles of books which made him one of the country’s most eminent jurists, he said adding his hard work made him great.
“At the same time, mere hard work will not help unless you know your destination,” Hon’ble Mr. Justice Dixit said.
The legal profession is not a business but is based on morality. You should never delay or deprive justice, he said.
Citing illustrations about clever use of legal technicality, he referred to the case of an Indian lawyer who took up the case involving violation of a rule that no horse-drawn chariots or carts could ply outside the Vice Regal Palace.
In his argument, the lawyer said while the rule prohibited use of horses to ply chariots or carts in the prohibited area, the carriage in question had been drawn by mares--- female horses—and so no violation of the rules had taken place.
“Go for wider range of studies. One book is not the ethos of our country or our culture,” Hon’ble Mr. Justice Dixit said.
Quoting the Gita, he said it said there was nothing as sacred as acquiring knowledge.
Empathy. Education. Empowerment. Celebrating 19 years of ‘Jaago’, an inspiring initiative by (SOA) that continues to transform young lives through the selfless efforts of students.
Children are the future of the nation and it is the society’s responsibility to provide them a safe environment to grow and opportunity to get educated, Vice-President of Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan, has said.
Students of the Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan Deemed to be University (SOA) here have been doing a fantastic work by investing their time and energy in teaching slum children for the last 18 years, Ms. Das said while speaking at a program organised by ‘Jaago’, a platform of SOA students, on the occasion of Children’s
Day on Friday. The students have been involved in voluntarily educating children belonging to the neglected lower strata of society under the ‘Jaago’ banner and this endeavour will help them become ideal citizens of the country, she said.
Prof. Pradipta Kumar Nanda, Vice-Chancellor of the university, who attended the program as guest of honour said that ‘Jaago’ should emerge as a revolution to serve the society. He said all students of the university should get involved in the program.
The program was also addressed by SOA Pro-Chancellor Prof. (Dr.) Neeta Mohanty, Dean of Institute of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, Prof. Sushanta Kumar Das and Dean (In-charge) of Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Prof. Kartik Chandra Sahu. Prof. Jyoti Ranjan Das, Dean (Students’ Welfare) welcomed the guests while Prof. Anita Panda, Mentor of Jaago, proposed the vote of thanks. The children and students also presented a cultural program.
Education builds character, not just careers.” — A powerful message from former Chief Justice of India at SOA Lecture Series
Former Chief Justice of India, Justice Gopal Ballav Patnaik, delivered an inspiring lecture at Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (SOA), emphasizing that true nation building starts in the classroom. Speaking on “Students as Nation Builders — The Power of Young Minds in Shaping the Future”, he urged students to develop strong moral character, integrity, and compassion.
The event also featured Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose, India’s first Lokpal, who spoke on the basic structure of the Indian Constitution and its role in safeguarding fundamental rights.
Respect for rule of Law key to safeguarding the Constitution: Hon'ble Justice Krishna Shripad Dixit
Respect for the rule of law is of paramount importance for the survival of the constitution, Hon'ble Mr. Justice Krishna Shripad Dixit, Judge of the Orissa High Court, said on Saturday.
“If we do not have respect for the rule of law, the constitution will fall down,” Hon'ble Mr. Justice Dixit said while delivering the Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan Lecture at SOA Deemed to be University here.
Stating that the Indian Constitution had survived even after more than 100 amendments had been incorporated to it, Hon'ble Mr. Justice Dixit said all constitutional institutions including the judiciary, the Election Commission of India, the parliament, state legislatures and the Registrar General of India needed to be protected.
He was delivering the keynote address in the SOA Lecture Series titled ‘Making of Our Constitution.’
Referring to the ‘Allahabad Resolution’ of 1920 which proposed creation of a constitutional framework for India, he said a Constituent Assembly had been set up in 1946 before the country gained independence.
The constitution rested on a nation’s geographical area with defined borders, population, a legitimate government and ability to maintain international relations with other countries, he said.
When the bill to grant India independence was tabled in the British parliament, it was opposed by the leader of opposition Winston Churchill who said if independence was granted to India, “power will go to the hands of rascals, rogues, freebooters; all Indian leaders will be of low calibre and men of straw.”
“But India had proved Churchill wrong by launching 106 satellites in one go,” Hon'ble Mr. Justice Dixit said.
He said India was a great country because many religious faiths had come to the country. Islam had come to India before it had reached Saudi Arabia while Christianity arrived in the country before it went to Europe, he said.
India was a land of knowledge which had always moved towards the light, Hon'ble Mr. Justice Dixit said.
SOA Vice-Chancellor Prof. Pradipta Kumar Nanda presented a detailed account of the university’s activities and accomplishments while Prof. S.A.K. Azad, Dean of SOA National Institute of Law (SNIL), the university’s faculty of legal studies, welcomed the guest. Prof. Jyoti Ranjan Das, Dean (Students’ Welfare), proposed the vote of thanks.
140 Lives Touched in One Day – PAN SOA ITER Mega Blood Donation Drive
The Institute of Technical Education and Research (ITER), Faculty of Engineering of Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (SOA), successfully organised the PAN SOA ITER Mega Blood Donation Drive.
The initiative witnessed enthusiastic participation from students, faculty, and volunteers, standing as a testament to SOA’s commitment to community service, healthcare, and compassion.
The ceremony was inaugurated by Mrs. Saswati Dash, Vice-President, SOA, and attended by several distinguished dignitaries including Prof. (Dr.) Ashok Mohapatra, Principal Adviser (Health Sciences), Prof. P.K. Nanda, Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Neeta Mohanty, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Prof. P.K. Sahoo, Dean ITER, among others.
With the active support of the SUM Blood Bank team, comprising 10 doctors and medical staff, the drive achieved a remarkable milestone by collecting 140 units of blood in a single day.
There will be enough work in future, but no jobs: Dr. Anand Deshpande
The advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has ushered in exciting times with a question mark hanging on jobs, but students have to chart their own course by creating jobs, Dr. Anand Deshpande, Founder Chairman and Managing Director of Persistent Systems, said on Saturday.
“We are moving towards a situation where work will increase but jobs will decrease. Instead of looking for jobs, you have to think how to create jobs,” Dr. Deshpande said while having an interaction with students of SOA Deemed to be University here.
Replying to a question on AI and the future, he said AI would have amazing ability to solve problems and push up productivity.
AI writes better codes than humans today but it can also distort facts like no one can, Dr. Deshpande said adding two countries---USA and China-- were ahead today in the field of AI.
SOA Vice-Chancellor Prof. Pradipta Kumar Nanda presided over the program which was organised by the university and the Atal Incubation Centre-SOA Foundation. It was also addressed by Prof. Damodar Acharya, Chairman of SOA Advisory Board and Mr. Ripti Ranjan Dash, Director, Corporate Relations and Industry Engagement. Prof. Renu Sharma, Additional Dean (Student Affairs), Institute of Technical Education and Research (ITER), proposed the vote of thanks.
Dr. Deshpande, who heads the Pune-based global digital engineering company, said most of those born after 2000 were expected to live for 100 years considering the rapid progress medical science had been making in recent times and were expected to work for the next 60 years till 2085.
“You are living in India which is a happening place today but what you are learning now will not last 60 years. No company you join after leaving the university will last six decades,” he said.
Dr. Deshpande, who is an alumni of IIT Kharagpur which was the first institute to launch courses in Computer Science, studied and worked in the USA before returning to India in 1990 to launch his own company.
He advised the students to have an aspiration and purpose in life saying “you should know where you are going.”
“The need is for continuous learning while students should realize the importance of team work and networking. Don’t compromise your core values. What is important is loyalty to your profession,” he said.
Stating that it was normal to make mistakes, Dr. Deshpande said it was not a big deal.
Tennis legend Pete Sampras was told that he had a bad backhand but he had a great forehand. That did not stop him from winning 14 grand slam titles, he said.
World worried over Climate Change: Diplomats
Ambassadors and diplomats from eight different countries on Thursday expressed concern over the impact of ongoing climate change and global warming in the world while calling for focused action to save the planet.
“It is not a distant threat, it stands as a huge challenge before humanity,” Mr. Juan Antonio March Pujol, Ambassador of Spain, said while addressing the inaugural session of the 2-day international conclave on ‘Climate Change and Global Warming—Issues and Prospects’ organised by the SOA Deemed to be University here.
The representatives of the other countries who addressed the conclave included Mr. Alberto Guani, Ambassador of Uruguay, Mr. Javier Paulinich, Ambassador of Peru, Mr. Fernando Bucheli, Ambassador of Ecuador, Mr. Omar Castaneda Solares, Ambassador of Guatemala, Mr. Antonio Bartoli, Ambassador of Italy, Ms. Lalatiana Accouche, High Commissioner of Seychelles and Mr. Kayshav Tewari, Diplomat, High Commission of Guyana.
Dr. Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, Director General of Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), delivered the keynote address while Prof. (Dr.) Neeta Mohanty, Acting Vice-Chancellor of SOA presided. Prof. (Dr.) Prasenjit Mohanty, Pro-Vice Chancellor of SOA, welcomed the guests.
Prof. Uma Charan Mohanty, Distinguished Professor at SOA and an environmental expert, said that 17 speakers including scientists, researchers, academics and experts drawn from several top Indian institutions including the IMD, Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), ISRO and IITs, will be addressing the different sessions of the conference.
Ms. Accouche, High Commissioner of Seychelles, said her country, a small island nation in Africa, was worst affected as it was faced with rising sea levels, coastal erosion and extreme weather which posed significant threat to the country’s economy, particularly tourism and fishing industries, and its natural environment.
“Though we are the least contributor to the process of global warming, we are the worst affected by its impact,” she said.
Mr. Tewari echoed Ms. Accouche saying those who contributed the least to climate change were its biggest victims.
Guyana, with a population of eight lakh, had been pursuing policies to protect the environment and was now known as a green super power, he said.
The country had protected its pristine forest covering 85 per cent of the geographical area which served as a carbon sink, Mr. Tewari said adding countries needed to be compensated for the global good they did.
Dr. Mohapatra said release of greenhouse gases due to human and socio-economic activity had been responsible for the present situation and the impact had been reflected in extreme weather events.
Forests and wetlands, which served as natural sink for Carbon Dioxide, were shrinking due to deforestation and human activity. But measures to prevent deforestation and protect water bodies were being taken, he said.
Dr. Mohapatra said climate change was affecting the economy as there had been 6 to 10 per cent reduction in agricultural yield due to rising temperature. It was also adversely affecting fishing activity, he said adding it impacted lives and livelihood.
There was a need for installing early warning systems in regions vulnerable to extreme weather conditions while sustainable development practices should be pursued at the micro level to combat climate change, he said.
Mr.Pujol said anthropogenic activity had impacted the climate causing the sea level to rise by more than 20 cm since 1900 while countries were facing extreme weather events like cyclones, floods and drought.
Spain, he said, was committed to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and supported the initiatives being taken by the European community to address the situation.
Mr. Pujol said universities were the incubators to provide solutions to problems being faced by humanity and it was the students who should ensure that the planet remained a safe place.
Italian Ambassador Mr. Bartoli referred to the recent Texas floods saying nobody saw it coming. Italy had broken the records for extreme weather events, he said adding it was paradoxical that despite the advancement made by humans technologically it did not guarantee them control over nature.
Mr. Paulinich, who represents Peru, said that 71 per cent of the glaciers in his country, which were the prime source of water were on the decline. “The glaciers are retreating and facing extinction. It is not ice, but our future that is melting,” he said.
Purpose of education is to shape character: Hon'ble Justice Ramasubramanian, NHRC Chairman
The purpose of holistic education is to shape the character of the person while enabling his physical, mental, moral and spiritual development, Hon'ble Mr. Justice V. Ramasubramanian, Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), said on Friday.
“Education should form the character of the student while expanding his intellect, increasing the strength of mind and enabling the person to stand on his own legs,” Mr. Justice Ramasubramanian said while delivering a talk at the Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan Deemed to be University (SOA) here.
Swami Vivekananda, the NHRC Chairman said, had set these four qualifying parameters for education to equip individuals with knowledge, intellect and spiritual awareness to live happy and fulfilling lives.
“A person may complete his or her course but no one can complete education as it extends from the womb to tomb,” he said.
SOA Vice-Chancellor Prof. Pradipta Kumar Nanda welcomed Hon'ble Mr. Justice Ramasubramanian while Prof. Santosh Kumar Rout, Dean of the Institute of Agricultural Sciences, introduced the speaker.
Citing several illustrations, Hon'ble Mr. Justice Ramasubramanian said the education system should be able to equip the student with character, mental strength, intellect and self-reliance.
Quoting philosopher and historian Will Durant’s famous statement that education was the progressive discovery of one’s ignorance, he said everyone needed to understand this truth.
“We have lot of literate people but are we educated?” he asked while stating that the courses in colleges and universities only introduced the student to the knowledge available in this world.
Justice Ramasubramanian said most students these days were heard saying that they were ‘getting stressed out’, a term rarely heard 40 years ago, which only pointed to the fact that the present generation had been so pampered that it was unable to face any problem.
“This explains why we can’t have a happy life when we have good education and everything we need,” he said adding education had failed to strengthen the mind of students.
“Today it is success which matters but we don’t understand what true success is. Completing education or landing a big job does not mean success. Life does not look at success as we do,” he said.
Hon'ble Justice Ramasubramanian narrated the story of a very successful 45-year-old chartered accountant in the USA who lost everything he had during the Global Financial Crisis that hit the country in 2008. “He didn’t know how to handle it and killed all his family members before committing suicide,” he said pointing out that despite his education and knowledge he did not possess mental strength.
“Do colleges and universities teach the students crisis management? People have degrees but are they learned?” he asked.
The need is to provide people the skill to face life and teach them the right attitude, he said.
Hon'ble Justice Ramasubramanian congratulated SOA Deemed to be University for the progress it had made during the last several years saying it had shown a lot of commitment.
Prof. Prabhat Kumar Sarangi, Professor at IAS, conducted the program while Prof. Renu Sharma, Additional Dean (Student Affairs) ITER proposed the vote of thanks.
India planning Modular Space Station by 2035: Dr. V. Narayana, Chairman of ISRO
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is planning to put in space the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS), a modular space station, by 2035, ISRO’s Chairman and Secretary of the Department of Space, Dr. V. Narayanan, said on Wednesday.
The launching of BAS will enhance India’s presence in space research and foster advancement in space technology, Dr. Narayanan said while having an interaction with students, researchers and faculty members of Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan Deemed to be University (SOA) here.
“India’s first ever human space flight mission, ‘Gaganyaan’ is expected to be launched in March 2027 for which four test pilots are undergoing training to be astronauts,” he informed.
This will be preceded by launching of uncrewed missions to test systems as India’s objective is to become a global space power by 2047, Dr. Narayanan said adding only Russia, the United States and China had been successful to independently launch humans into space till now.
Dr. Narayanan, a rocket propulsion expert, said though India’s space program had started in 1962, it had traversed a long way technologically since then and was contemplating to take an Indian to the Moon and bring him back safely.
Pointing out that ISRO was established in 1969 by when the US had already become successful in putting Neil Armstrong on the Moon, he said despite the late start ISRO had made phenomenal progress and succeeded in putting the first 35 kg satellite in space in 1980.
“Since then, India has been able to develop six generations of launch vehicles and created a record by conceiving a 40-storey high rocket in only 27 days,” he said.
There was a time, Dr. Narayanan said, when India was mocked, insulted and denied access to cryogenic engine technology. But India had, since then, been able to develop three such engines, two of them indigenously.
“India is the only country which soft landed Chandrayaan-3 on Moon’s south pole and is the first to find water molecules on the lunar surface,” he said adding the country created a world record by placing more than 100 satellites in space on a single mission.
India is also the only nation to have reached Mars’ orbit in its very first attempt, Dr. Narayanan said.
Chandrayan-4, Dr. Narayanan said, would be a complex mission as it would be expected to bring back lunar sample. India planned to launch Chandrayaan-5 in collaboration with Japan.
One of ISRO’s significant achievement has been the successful completion of docking experiment involving two satellites which was executed with exceptional precision on January 16, 2025. The docking happened when the satellites were travelling at a speed of 28,400 km per hour, he said.
Subsequently, ISRO scientists successfully conducted the undocking experiment in a circular orbit, Dr. Narayanan said.
Prof. Damodar Acharya, Chairman of SOA’s International Advisory Board and former Director of IIT, Kharagpur was present.
SOA’s Vice-Chancellor Prof. Pradipta Kumar Nanda welcomed Dr. Narayanan while Prof. Renu Sharma, Additional Dean (Student Affairs), proposed the vote of thanks. Prof. Jyoti Ranjan Das, Dean (Students’ Welfare) conducted the program.
VETS have to understand the pain of animals
Veterinarians have the onerous responsibility of understanding the problem and pain of suffering animals and birds as they can’t express it themselves, Vice-President of Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (SOA) said on Saturday.
“Our civilization cannot exist without animals. Hence, taking care of them and understanding their problem with a proactive attitude is of great importance,” Ms. Das said while speaking at a function organised at the Institute of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry (IVSAH), faculty of veterinary sciences of SOA here, to mark the World Veterinary Day.
Ms. Das praised the growth of IVSAH, the newest institute added by SOA, saying it was doing well in various areas.
Referring to the theme for this year’s World Veterinary Day—‘Animal Health takes a Team’, she said she was happy to see the kind of care being provided to animals at the institute’s livestock farm.
Prof. (Dr.) Akshay Shah, Director of Chi University of Veterinary Acupuncture, who attended the program as the guest of honour, emphasized the use of acupuncture in treatment of animals and birds.
Prof. Pradipta Kumar Nanda, Vice-Chancellor of SOA, who presided over the program, said the future of humans was dependent on that of animals and birds. “We need to have a balance between the two for our existence,” he said.
Prof. Nanda also spoke about the veterinary clinic set up by SOA saying good care was being taken of animals and birds there.
Prof. Sushanta Kumar Das, Dean of IVSAH, welcomed the guests while Prof. Srinivas Rao proposed the vote of thanks.
Books authored by professors of IVSAH were unveiled on the occasion while several veterinarians were felicitated. Prizes were distributed to students who had taken part in different competitions organised to mark the occasion.
Elysium 2025 (ITER | SOA)
Elysium Annual Student Event held at ITER, SOA University. 2025 Edition. Elysium-2025, a week-long fiesta showcasing an array of the limitless potential of its students came to a grand conclusion at the Institute of Technical Education and Research (ITER), faculty of engineering and technology of Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan Deemed to be University here, on Wednesday.
Students were provided a platform to give expression to their talent in a variety of activities spanning coding to business, literature to art, music to dance and fitness to fashion.
“Each event was designed to challenge, inspire and push the boundaries and the students rose to the occasion while embracing the challenges and demonstrating remarkable skills,” Prof. Renu Sharma, Additional Dean (Student Affairs), said.
Prof. Sharma said Elysium was not just an event, it was a platform where talent met opportunity, learning met experience and dreams took flight.
Prof. Damodar Acharya, Chairman of SOA’s International Advisory Board and former Chairman of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) who was the chief guest at the concluding function, urged the students to think differently and endevour to start something on their own.
“If you are studying to get a degree and then find a job, it’s not right. You have to be innovative and creative and excel not only in your chosen technical domain but in the socio-cultural arena as well,” he said adding both were important.
Prof. Acharya said the job market was shrinking and it could shrink further with the arrival of Artifiial Intelligence (AI).
The program was also addressed by Mr. Bijay Kumar Sahoo, Regional Manager and Head, National Research Development Corporation, Bhubaneswar and Dr. Manisha Acharya, Project Director, Ernst and Young. Both Mr. Sahoo and Dr. Acharya encouraged the students to be innovative and launch their own start-up.
SOA Vice-Chancellor Prof. Pradipta Kumar Nanda also spoke. Among others, Prof. Manas Kumar Mallick, Director, ITER, was present. Altogether 70 events, 40 of them technical and 30 cultural, were organised during the festival attracting large participation. Besides, 32 sports events were also held.
The student communities who played the vital role in the organization of the program included ITER Robotics Club, SOA Radio Club, Codex, Shristi, SOA Flying Community, GDG, Vogue-SOA Fashion Club, SOA Literary Club, Toneelstuk-The Stage Piece, SOA Music Club, Coding Ninjas, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Cell, Danza, Virtual Showreel, SOA Photography Club, Odanza and SOA Fitness Club.
The sports disciplines which were part of the festival included Futsal, Cricket, Volleyball, Basketball, Kabaddi, Badminton and Kho Kho. More than 350 students participated in the programs ‘Business Decoded’ and ‘Founder’s Arena’ which were held at the Atal Innovation Centre (AIC) which provided the students with real world business challenges while exposing them to expert mentorship. The guests gave away about 400 prizes to the students.
Cultural Event SOA University Proxima 2025 (ITER | SOA)
HR Conclave Event for SOA University and ITER SOA Students. Held in 2025. Shri Ashish Vidyarthi, Shri Vipul Goyal and others graced this event with their presence. The occasion was further strengthened by the presence of industry representatives.
SOA University Proxima 2025 (ITER | SOA)
‘CREATE YOUR OWN FUTURE, ACTOR ASHISH VIDYARTHEE TELLS SOA ENGINEERING STUDENTS
“After your academics you have life, what matters is what you do with what life throws at you,” eminent Bollywood actor and motivational speaker Ashish Vidyarthee told a large gathering of students here.
“Nothing from your syllabus will be needed in life and you have to create your own future,” Vidyarthee said while speaking at the inauguration of the sixth edition of ‘SOA Proxima’, the two-day annual mega HR conclave organised by the Institute of Technical Education and Research (ITER), faculty of engineering and technology of Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan Deemed to be University, on Friday.
Vidyarthee, who has acted in more than 350 films in 11 different languages, said “it does not matter where you come from, what matters is where you are headed.” The actor who won his first national award for the 1994 Govind Nihalani film ‘Droh Kaal’ said “I stepped out from an obscure place to fulfill my dreams.”
Vidyarthee advised the students not to regret if people made fun of them saying they should try to stay relevant and valuable. “You should remain humble enough to take your corrections,” he added.
The event, which was organised in association with Times Now and attended by 5000 students, faculty members and corporate leaders, aimed to bridge the gap between academia and industry and help foster new ideas and technology while spreading knowledge for the benefit of young minds. It also sought to connect campus talent with industry leaders while enabling the students to have a peep into the corporate world and understand its expectations.
The conclave began with a presidential address by Prof. Damodar Acharya, Chairman of the SOA Advisory Board while Mr. Ripti Ranjan Dash, Director, Corporate Relations and Industry Engagement, delivered the welcome address. Mr. Bibhu Panda, Delivery Center Head of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) in Bhubaneswar and Mr. Souvik Das, Regional Head of Academic Alliances Group, India (East) at TCS also spoke.
The event featured a power-packed line up including keynote addresses by 24 top HR leaders, 12 engaging panel discussions, a project exhibition showcasing 35 innovative projects by SOA engineering students and networking sessions providing a platform for delegates to connect and share experiences.
The conclave focused on present industry expectations, desired skill sets beyond the curriculum and bridging the gap between academia and industry. As many as 117 HR, talent acquisition and early career recruitment leaders representing 100 IT and core industries from across India participated in the event which concluded with a stand-up comedy show by Mr. Vipul Goyal and cultural performances by SOA students.
The highlight of the event was the recognition of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) as SOA Deemed to be University’s Most Valuable Campus Partner. It acknowledged TCS’s unwavering commitment to providing employment opportunities thereby fostering a long-term association with SOA since 2007. TCS had offered nearly 4500 job opportunities to SOA engineering students.
Furthermore, in collaboration with Times Now, SOA felicitated 30 exceptional HR leaders and experts with the Talent Acquisition Impact Award honouring their outstanding contributions to early career recruitment and talent acquisition strategy.
Experts from Law Firms attend Third edition of SOA LEX CONCILIUM
The third edition of SOA Lex Concilium-2025 was organised in Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan Deemed to be University under the auspices of the SOA National Institute of Law (SNIL), SOA’s faculty of legal studies and the University’s Placement Cell on January 25.
Experts from different law firms and from the academia graced the occasion to educate the students of law about the various employment opportunities available for them and told them as to where they should focus their attention.
Mr. Lokanath Prasad Kar, Founder of EipeeCo, who attended as the chief guest, said that the students should pay attention to their ability and on acquiring knowledge. He also explained as to how the students should pick companies where they would wish to work.
Prof. Pradipta Kumar Nanda, Vice-Chancellor of SOA, told the students that SNIL was ranked 9th in the country among law colleges by the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF). As SOA’s thrust was on research, it had set up 20 research centres, he said.
The program was also addressed by Prof. S.A.K. Azad, Dean of SNIL, Prof. Jyoti Ranjan Das, Dean (Students’ Welfare) and Mr. Ripti Ranjan Dash, Director (Corporate Relations and Industry Engagement).
The subject for the first session was ‘Emerging Trends in Legal Industries: Challenges and Opportunity for Freshers) with the panelists being Mr.Prashant Kumar, Head (Legal) at Muthoot Fincorp Ltd, Mr. Devendra Suresh Hattangadi, Director (HR) of Integreon, Mr. Abhishek Dutta, Deputy General Manager (HR), Cholamandalam MS General Insurance, Ms. Chinmayee Sahoo, Partner at Roots Cyber Law Firm, Mr. Prashanth S, Shivadass, Partner at Shivadass and Shivadass and Ms. Sivashrita Bhardwaj, Assistant Professor at SNIL.
The second subject titled the ‘Future of Law’ had several panelists including Mr. M.A.Ranganath, Founding Partner at Roots Cyber Law Firm, Ms. Rasika Vivek Kuber, Head (Corporate Legal and Compliance) at Digit Insurance, Ms. Swati Singh, General Manager at DLF Limited and Mr. Tanin Chakraborty, Global DPO at Biocon Biologics.
SNIL’s senior professors Prof. Prabir Kumar Patnaik and Prof. Madhusudan Das also attended the program. Mr. Abhishek Patnaik, Senior Manager (Corporate Relations) of the Placement Cell proposed the vote of thanks.
76th Republic Day celebrations at SOA University
Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (SOA) joined the rest of the nation in celebrating the 76th Republic Day on Sunday with the Chancellor Prof. (Dr.) Amit Banerjee unfurling the national flag and urging the faculty members and students to build a strong and more prosperous India.
“Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan has remained in the forefront of the nation building process in the field of higher education, research and healthcare. Your hard work and dedication will inspire the SOA family to strive to reach greater heights,” Prof. (Dr.) Banerjee said after inspecting the parade and taking the customary salute.
“The onus is on each one of us to ensure that India becomes a developed nation by 2047. Vikshit Bharat is the goal which should inspire us to put our best foot forward,” he said.
SOA had taken giant strides in expansion by establishing the second campus of Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital at Phulnakhara where 150 MBBS students had taken admission in 2024-25 while another SUM Hospital had started functioning at Berhampur, Prof. (Dr.) Banerjee said while referring to groundbreaking advancements in healthcare in 2024.
IMS and SUM Hospital had conducted Odisha’s first Haploidentical Hematopoietic Stem Transplantation establishing a milestone in treating Acute Myeloid Leukemia. The hospital also became the first in the state to undertake the revolutionary Chimeric Antigen Receptor-T Cell (CAR T-cell) therapy successfully treating blood cancer patients during the year, he said.
Prof. Prasanta Kumar Patra, Dean (Sponsored Research and Industrial Consultancy) and acting Vice-Chancellor of SOA, Deans of different institutions, Directors, students and officials were present at the colourful ceremony held at the university stadium.
Students of different institutions under SOA, a contingent each of NCC and NSS volunteers, Institute of Higher Secondary Education and security personnel participated in the parade. The university’s Flag Unit, which participated in the parade for the first time, walked away with top honours when it was adjudged first in the parade. Students of the faculty of agricultural sciences and faculty of engineering and technology came second and third in the parade respectively.
The program ended with a colourful cultural extravaganza featuring students of different institutions. Awards were also given for the first time for cultural performances this year with students of faculty of law and faculty of agricultural sciences winning the top two spots.
Mr. Abhishek Bhanja and Mr. Abinash Nanda, both Senior Under Officers of NCC, were felicitated on the occasion by the Chancellor.
Earlier, Pro-Vice Chancellor and Registrar Prof. Bibhuti Bhushan Pradhan unfurled the tri-colour at the university office. Chairman of SOA’s Advisory Board, Prof. Damodar Acharya, Director of University Outreach Program Prof. Nachieketa Sharma, SOA’s Distinguished Professor Uma Charan Mohanty and Joint Registrars Mr. Bhisma Charan Das and Mr. Sasanka Mishra, among others, were present.
‘Grand Home Coming’ of Ex-Students
Alumni of an educational institution should keep in touch with their alma mater and always strive to contribute so that its standard could go up, Prof. Damodar Acharya, Chairman of the Advisory Committee of Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan Deemed to be University (SOA) here said.
“After passing out of the institute, the student’s relationship continues with the institution and the student has a responsibility towards his or her alma mater,” Prof. Acharya, former Chairman of AICTE and former Director of IIT-Kharagpur, said while addressing a gathering of SOA alumnis on Saturday.
The gathering, dubbed as ‘Grand Home Coming’, was also addressed by Dipanwit Dashmohapatra, actor and former student of the Institute of Technical Education and Research (ITER), faculty of engineering and technology of SOA, as guest of honour. SOA Vice-Chancellor Prof. Pradipta Kumar Nanda, presided.
Prof. Acharya described himself as a ‘former student’ of SOA recalling that he had received an honorary doctorate from the university at its first convocation.
Students who had passed out from the university since 2001 attended the event organised by SOA Alumniz.
Mohapatra, who passed out of ITER in 2013, said that the foundation of his career in acting had been laid while he was a student of SOA. He was an active member of SOA drama club ‘Toneelstuk’ and it led him to choose a career in acting.
Dashmohapatra’s role in the Odia film ‘Daman’ was highly acclaimed and he has since acted in other films including in ‘Pratiksha’. He has won several accolades for his acting skills.
Addressing the gathering, he urged the students to come forward to support Odia language, culture and tradition and provide a boost to the Odia film industry.
Prof. Nanda, who welcomed the former students, said they would remain an inseparable part of SOA. Stating that the students had done well to occupy important positions in varied fields including education, health, industry, business and politics, he urged them to be proud of their alma mater which was ranked 14th in the country.
Prof. Jyoti Ranjan Das, Dean (Students Welfare) of SOA, said that the former students of the university would have a prominent role in the nation building process. Mr. Ripti Ranjan Dash, Director, Industry Engagement and Corporate Relations, Mr. Rajeev Kumar, Deputy General Manager, SOA-Atal Incubation Centre and Dr. Susmita Panda, President of SOA Alumniz also addressed the gathering.
Twenty of the prominent alumni of the university were felicitated on the occasion. Mr. Abhishek Pattnaik, Convenor of SOA Alumniz, proposed the vote of thanks.
SOA Cup 2024-25 Closing Ceremony
The general attitude and thinking towards sport has to change in the country for its rise as a sporting powerhouse, eminent sports journalist Mr. Digvijay Singhdeo said.
Countries like USA, China, Japan, France and Germany, which walk away with the maximum number of Olympic medals, have been successful because their athletes do not toil with the objective of winning medals at the Olympics. They do it as part of their daily life, Mr. Singhdeo said while speaking at the prize giving ceremony of ‘SOA Cup’, the annual sports meet of Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan Deemed to be University here, on Wednesday.
Mr. Singhdeo said people in these successful countries take to sports not to win medals in Olympics but to keep fit and learn skills, teamwork and how to respect opponents.
He said the tremendous progress Odisha had achieved in creating sports infrastructure in recent years had caught the imagination of the country and it had completely changed the state’s identity.
Congratulating the students who had excelled in the competitions, Mr. Singhdeo advised them to chase their passion.
Prof. Pradipta Kumar Nanda, Vice-Chancellor of SOA, also addressed the students and distributed the prizes.
The competitions included football, cricket, volleyball, basketball, kabaddi, badminton, table tennis, softball, tennis, kho kho, chess, throw ball and athletics.
Prof. Jyoti Ranjan Das, SOA’s Dean (Students’ Welfare), Dr. Sourya Ranjan Das, Convenor for SOA Cup this year, and Sports Officer Ms. Sunita Barma were present.
JAAGO--A movement dedicated to the welfare of neglected children
‘Jaago’, a movement involving students of Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan Deemed to be University (SOA) here, is dedicated to the welfare of children belonging to the lowest strata of society, SOA Vice-President Ms. Saswati Das has said.
“It is a challenge and it aims at the overall development of children who are neglected because of their circumstances,” she said on Monday while speaking at a program organised at the Institute of Technical Education and Research (ITER) and attended by the new batch of students who have taken admission in different streams in the university.
While welcoming the new students, she thanked the those continuing their studies in the university for taking keen interest in social work and programs intended to benefit the society.
Large number of SOA students have been spending their leisure hours after classes teaching slum children while the university takes care of their health and other needs. The children are brought to the campus by university buses in the evening to be taught by students.
Ms. Das said poverty often caused rare talents to fade away unnoticed but Jaago’s objective was to ensure the all round development of such children and shape their personality.
She also mentioned about the contribution made by the faculty members, staff and students of SOA for the growth and accomplishments of the university over the years.
Prof. Pradipta Kumar Nanda, Vice-Chancellor of SOA, who also attended the program, said ‘Jaago’ was launched soon after it was accorded the Deemed to be University status in July 2007. Students who were involved in the movement were developing into responsible citizens, he said.
The program was also addressed by Prof. (Dr.) Sanghamitra Mishra, Dean, Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital, Prof. (Dr.) Neeta Mohanty, Dean, Institute of Dental Sciences, Prof. Renu Sharma, Additional Dean (Student Affairs), ITER and Prof. Anita Panda, Mentor of Jaago.
Prof. P.K. Sahoo, Dean, ITER, Prof. Manas Kumar Mallick, Director, ITER and Prof. (Dr.) Basanta Kumar Pati of IMS and SUM Hospital, were present.
International Physiotherapy Conference
Keeping aside medication and surgical intervention, physiotherapy has been playing a crucial role in the healing of patients, Prof. (Dr.) Brajakishore Das, Additional Director, Medical Education and Training, in the Odisha government, said on Saturday.
Prof. (Dr.) Das said that medical students should realize the importance of physiotherapy as they go through their academic grind. He was addressing the inaugural session of the International Physiotherapy Conference being held in Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan Deemed to be University (SOA) here.
The conference has been jointly organised by the Physiotherapy department of Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital, faculty of medicine of SOA, Utkal unit of Indian Association of Physiotherapy (IAP) and Women’s Cell of IPA.
The session was also addressed by Prof. (Dr.) Sanghamitra Mishra, Dean of IMS and SUM Hospital who praised the work being done by the hospital’s physiotherapy department.
Prof. (Dr.) Pusparaj Samantasinhar, Medical Superintendent of the hospital, said that physiotherapy was aiding the recovery of many patients suffering from cardiac issues and complex problems.
The program was also addressed by IAP’s national president Dr. Sanjeev Jha and President of IAP’s Women’s Cell Dr. Ruchi Varshney and Chairperson of the conference Dr. Stitipragya Dalabehera who is also Head of the department of Physiotherapy in IMS and SUM Hospital.