Dharmendra Pradhan Launches 10 Scholarly Works on Classical Odia Literature
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has unveiled 55 scholarly volumes dedicated to India’s classical languages, marking a significant step in preserving and promoting the nation’s linguistic heritage.
Among these, 10 books focus exclusively on Odia literature, spanning from the ancient Charyapada to the historical Madalapanji.
The initiative, led by the Centre for Studies in Classical Odia, includes English and Hindi translations of Madalapanji—a vital chronicle of Odisha’s temple and royal history—and an English translation of the philosophical text Rudrasudhanidhi.
These works aim to make Odisha’s cultural and philosophical legacy accessible to non-Odia speakers worldwide.
Pradhan emphasised that the publications reinforce Odia’s classical language status, granted in 2014, and align with the National Education Policy 2020, which promotes multilingualism and integration of classical languages into education.
He congratulated the researchers, translators, and scholars involved, underscoring the government’s commitment to nurturing India’s diverse linguistic traditions.
The broader release also includes 41 works developed by Centres of Excellence for Kannada, Telugu, and Malayalam, reflecting a nationwide effort to revitalise classical languages and ensure their relevance in contemporary India.
