The 69th Mahaparinirvan Diwas of Babasaheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was observed at the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) Deemed to be University campus on 6th and 7th December 2024. The event was organised by Dr. Ambedkar Chair (DAC), KISS-DU in collaboration with the IQAC, KISS-DU.
The observation of the 68th Mahaparinirvan Diwas was initiated with the garlanding of the Babasaheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar statue at KISS Campus – 1 by the Hon’ble Founder of KISS, Dr. Achyuta Samanta, Vice Chancellor Professor Deepak Kumar Behera, Registrar of the University Dr. Prashanta Kumar Routray, Faculty Members and Core Committee members. The event was also captured by the media wherein the significance of Dr. Ambedkar Chair since its inception, and its characteristics as a social laboratory for transformation were also discussed by Hon’ble Vice Chancellor, Professor Deepak Kumar Behera. A two-day national level distinguished lecture series was organised by DAC, KISS-DU, to create awareness and disseminate the values and messages of Dr. Ambedkar.
On 6th December, two distinguished speakers – Professor Mihir Ranjan Sethi (Ex-Regional Director of Education, Bhubaneswar and Presently Member Syndicate, F.M. University, Balasore, Odisha) and Professor Basanta Kumar Mallik (Ex-Chairman, PG Council, Utkal University and Presently Consultant, History, Centre for Judicial Archives of Odisha, High Court of Orissa, Cuttack) delivered lectures on the central theme of “Realising Dr. Ambedkar’s Dream: Integrating Marginalised Communities in Mainstream for Achieving the Goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047”. A skit was also performed by the UG and PG students of the Performing Arts Department of KISS-DU on the theme “Hamara Samvidhan, Hamara Swabhiman” as a part of the year-long celebration of the 75 Years of the Indian Constitution. The seminar concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr. Satyaki Paul, Assistant Professor, DAC, KISS-DU.
On 7th December, a distinguished speaker – Professor Vijaya Bhaskar Marisetty (Professor, Dr. Ambedkar Chair, Indian Institute of Management (IIM) – Visakhapatnam) delivered a distinguished lecture on the topic “Empowering Youth: From Dr. Ambedkar’s Ideologies to Citizen Science”. A formal vote of thanks was delivered by Dr. Satyaki Paul, Assistant Professor, DAC, KISS-DU to mark the culmination of the two-day seminar series observing the 69th Mahaparinirvan of Babasaheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. The two-day lecture series was attended by audiences comprising the Vice Chancellor, Registrar, Chair Professors, Deans, Faculty Members, Research Scholars, and Postgraduate students of KISS-DU.
In conclusion, the two-day lecture series was part of a humble effort carried out by Dr. Ambedkar Chair (DAC) at KISS-DU to delve deeper into Babasaheb’s transformative vision and his profound impact on India’s socio-political landscape to enable it to become Viksit Bharat by 2047. It was an occasion to learn, reflect, and renew our institute’s commitment to the values Babasaheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar upheld with such unwavering dedication thereby making these two-day programmes not just an act of remembrance but a commemoration of his enduring legacy and ideals at the critical juncture of celebrating 75 Years of India’s Constitution.
