INTACH Odisha chapter, Sri Sri Varsity sign MoU for heritage studies

Bhubaneswar, Oct 30 (UNI) The Odisha chapter of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) and Sri Sri University signed a MoU for setting up a Heritage Club at the Campus of the University in Cuttack.

The MOU was signed by Dr. Biswajit Mohanty, State Convener of Intach and Mrs Rajita Kulkarni, President of Sri Sri University, in the presence of Registrar Dr. Anil Sharma, Dean Prof. Anisa Azharunnisa, and Dean Rupal Shah.

The MOU will facilitate collaborative efforts to further common objectives through various activities. Dr. Tej Pratap, Vice Chancellor of the University, said that both organisations will work towards promoting academic and research facilities, conducting training programmes on culture education, heritage, tourism and related subjects for students and academia.

The MOU will lead to synergy between the two institutions and capacity building, training, and awareness programmes will be conducted. The students of the University will benefit by way of field visits, conservation training, photography and content creation.

According to Dr. Mohanty, INTACH has been declared as a Centre of Excellence by the Union Government and has 12 Chapters in the State with a membership of more than 700 heritage lovers.

Intach has been working for the proper conservation and preservation of the crumbling heritage monuments of the State for the last three decades.
Anil Dhir, the Convener of Intach’s Bhubaneswar Chapter, said that the rich and varied heritage of the State is under severe neglect.

Dhir said that the State Archaeology Department has only 221 monuments under its fold, while the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has another 78 monuments that are declared as protected.

Along with the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Konark, the total number of protected monuments in the State is only 300 in number.

Dhir added that in the last two decades, Intach has already listed and documented more than 6,500 heritage monuments in 19 districts of the State.

He further added that if proper surveys are made in the remaining districts, the list will surpass 12,500, making Odisha the richest state in built heritage. The MOU with SSU will facilitate the documentation of the heritage of the State.