Category: ODISHA

Bhubaneswar: Older women continue to meaningfully contribute to their political, civil, economic, social and cultural lives. But their contributions and experiences remain largely invisible and disregarded, limited by gendered disadvantages, said experts at a workshop to mark the United Nation’s International Day of Older Persons on Thursday.

Speaking at the workshop on ‘Resilience and Contribution of Older Women’ organised by Sociology and Psychology departments of Utkal University in collaboration with HelpAge India, the experts said the intersection between discrimination based on age and gender compounds new and existing inequalities, including negative stereotypes that combine ageism and sexism.

Head of Psychology department Prof. Bhaswati Patnaik stressed on the idea of mental aging and stereotypification of the elderly. Among others, Director of SSEPD Department Bratati Harichandan,Joint Director and State Head of HelpAge India Bharti Chakra, eminent Gynaecologist Dr. Seba Mohapatra and renowned women’s rights activist Bishakha Bhanja also spoke.

While Assistant Professor Dr. Tanaya Mohanty welcomed and introduced the panelists, Assistant Professor of Psychology Mousumi Sethi offered a vote of thanks.

Associate Professor of Sociology Department Dr. Rabindra Garada chaired a technical session.
Debashree Brahma of HelpAge India, Assistant Professor of Sociology department Dr. Atashi Rath, Sasmita Soren of RD University and Assistant Professor of Sociology department Dr. Dinabandhu Sahoo,. Lucy Hembram and Sunanda Patnaik were present. Assistant Professor of Sociology Dr. Papesh Kumar Lenka gave the vote of thanks for the technical session.

Ms. Adysha Sahoo, Department of Sociology and Ms. Zainab Tashneem, Department of psychology anchored and coordinated both the sessions.

Read: Gandhian way to confront challenges

Free health camp organised at Utkal. The Rural Outreach wing under RUSA 2.0 of Utkal University on Tuesday organised a free health check-up and ergonomic camp at University Health Centre on campus.

Inaugurating the health camp held in collaboration with Kalinga Hospital, Vice Chancellor Prof. Sabita Acharya said health problems could be highlighted by holding such camps and expressed her satisfaction over the active involvement of students and staff in the endeavor.

About 120 staff underwent various tests including random blood sugar, pulse check-up, blood pressure, BMD etc. Doctors made suitable recommendations. General Physician Dr. Jyoti Prakash Sahoo and Orthopedics specialist Dr. Indranil Dey attached to Kalinga Hospital conducted the tests and screened
the visitors.

Later at a function in the Vice Chancellor’s conference hall, Kalinga Hospital’s Manager of Operations Dr.Narendra Kumar Satapathy made a presentation on ergonomic assessment. Registrar Dr. Avaya Kumar Nayak, Comptroller of Finance, Gautama Pradhan, Deputy Coordinator of RUSA 2.0 Dr. BK Sundaray, Director of UECH Prof. AA Khan, PRO, Ameet Kumar Parichha were present. Programme Manager Liza Swain coordinated the health camp with all the other Program Managers, Rural Outreach team.

Gandhian way to confront challenges

Bhubaneswar: Mahatma Gandhi has actually become all the more pertinent in the 21st century.”Whichever challenge we confront, you can be sure that the Gandhian way is a real, live option, an option that informs and illuminates. As the world faces growing challenges of terrorism, the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi has become all the more pertinent and the Gandhian way is a real option to confront the global challenges” said former Vice Chancellor of Ravenshaw University Prof. Prakash Chandra Sarangi here on Friday.

Addressing a national seminar on ‘Idea of Swaraj and Contemporary Challenges’ organized by RUSA CoE -Centre for the Study of Language, Literature & Culture of Utkal University at PG Council Hall, Prof. Sarangi said Mahatma Gandhi’s ideologies are still relevant today. “His ideas are timeless. Gandhiji focused on upliftment of marginalized sections of the society. I would say Gandhiji’s principle was not about social welfare but social solidarity. While there is no communication between rich and poor today, new threats to peace and harmony have emerged”, he stressed.

Vice Chancellor of the Utkal University Prof. Sabita Acharya said, “Today, we are celebrating 75 glorious years of Independence. We are living in a competitive world where self-empowerment is the need of the hour among students to find out the challenges towards Swaraj. We are living in a country like India where Mahatma Gandhi, a great human being, sacrificed his life with his great ideologies.”

Former Joint Secretary to Rajya Sabha Sri. Satya Narayana Sahu recalled the steps taken by Gandhi during his studies in South Africa and Indian freedom struggle. Dadabhai Naoroji had theorised on the drain of wealth from the nation in his book ‘Poverty and Un-British Rule in India’ (1901). Indian self- government was developed by Naoroji that had been entrusted to Odisha famine and American Civil war, he added.

Speaking on fearlessness of Naoroji, Sahu said despite sedition charges against him, the Grand Old Man of India had guts to write a book about the British rules. Similarly, Gandhi had been an ardent critic of sedition law during his life; he added and stressed to promote the idea of Swaraj in the society.

Chairing the inaugural ceremony, Coordinator of RUSA CoE and Professor of Sanskrit Department Dr.Subhas Chandra Dash welcomed the guests. Assistant Professor of Political Science department Dr.Swapna Prabhu elaborated the seminar topic, while Assistant Professor of English S. Deepika gave the vote of thanks.

Free health camp organised at Utkal