Surabhi Festival: It’s Odisha’s celebration of young talent, says CM Majhi
Bhubaneswar, Nov 12 (UNI) Surabhi, the state-level children’s festival organised by the Odisha School and Mass Education Department, has emerged as a unique platform to showcase students’ talents, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said on Wednesday.
Inaugurating the festival at Capital High School, the Chief Minister emphasised that Surabhi is more than just a talent show.
“It is a platform for every child to nurture their dreams, creativity, critical thinking, and skills,” he said.
This year, the festival saw participation from over 2,400 students and their teachers, along with more than 1,000 government officials.
Through the “Nipun Odisha – Nipun Bharat” initiative, students from classes one to three had the opportunity to participate at both school and cluster levels.
Top-performing students in the plus-two examinations were awarded Rs 20,000 each. Students excelling in various competitions and educational fields were also felicitated, and five differently-abled students received wheelchairs.
Highlighting the government’s commitment to quality education from pre-primary to class 12, Majhi noted that initiatives under the PM-SHRI scheme have been implemented, beginning with Godavarish Adarsha Primary School.
He also praised the successful implementation of the National Education Policy 2020 across schools and universities in the state.
The Chief Minister said that Odisha spends 14.2 per cent of its GDP, or 3.9 per cent of state revenue, solely on education, one of the highest allocations in the country.
School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda stressed the importance of identifying and nurturing hidden talents among students. “Festivals like Surabhi definitely help promote creativity and intellectual skills,” he said.
During the three-day festival, students will take part in competitions, local tours, interviews with distinguished personalities, and exhibitions of top science projects. Over 2,000 students who excelled at block and district-level competitions are participating in this year’s programme.
