How Odisha plans to make 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas a grand affair

Bhubaneswar is gearing up to hold the 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, being organised jointly by the ministry of external affairs and the Odisha government. In the larger scheme of things, the new BJP government in the state has decided to hold three flagship events—the Rajarani Music Festival, Mukteswar Dance Festival and International Odissi Festival—simultaneously with the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas celebrations.
The gala event will be held between January 8 and 10 next year in the heart of the state capital and will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The concluding event is likely to be graced by President Droupadi Murmu.
According to sources, an estimated Rs 120 crore will be spent on the mega event, which will be equally shared by the Odisha government and the external affairs ministry.
The three flagship Odia events have so long being held between November and January. The Rajarani and Mukteswar festivals have been three-day affairs. This time, the dates have been so adjusted that all events coincide with the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, a source in the state government said.
“The prime minister is taking keen interest in the programme. It is going to be a mega event. Bhubaneswar will be bustling with tourists and delegates, both national and international,” said another source from the state’s language, literature and cultural department.
The source added that since the BJP took over the reins of Odisha from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), it has been planning to “put Bhubaneswar on the world map”.
In the run-up to the events, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation has taken up beautification of the city. All major museums, auditoriums and cultural centres are being given a facelift.
The endeavour is also part of the government’s plans to establish itself as the flag-bearer of Odia asmita. This was one of the poll planks the BJP had used to dethrone Naveen Patnaik by targeting his aide V.K. Pandian, a Tamilian, who was perceived as the former chief minister’s political successor.
The construction of an Odia Asmita Bhawan, being described as a mini-Odisha, has already been green lit. The campus will be spread over five acres in the capital. An initial cost estimate is around Rs 300 crore and the project will take at least three years to complete.
The National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC) has been tasked with constructing the bhawan while Bimal Patel, the noted architect who designed the new Parliament House, the Central Vista Project in Delhi, the Kashi Vishwanath corridor and the Sabarmati Riverfront Development Project, is likely to be involved.
“The campus will have a museum, interpretation centre, library, cafeteria, car parking, and representations of our culture and districts in all forms. It will be all of Odisha under one roof,” said an official.
Interestingly, the government will discontinue the World Odia Language Conference that the previous BJD government had started in February this year and promised as an annual affair. It was perceived by the BJP and a section of the people as the BJD’s attempt to counter the Odia asmita narrative ahead of the assembly polls.