Bhubaneswar: Odisha is set to host the 5th EMRS National Cultural and Literary Festival & Kala Utsav, “UDBHAV,” in Bhubaneswar from November 12 to 15, 2024, celebrating the spirit of learning among tribal students.
Organised by the Odisha Department of STSC Development & Minorities and Backward Classes Welfare, with funding from the National Educational Society for Tribal Students (NESTS), this event will welcome over 1,300 students and 250 teachers from Ekalavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) across 22 states.
The festival, to be held at Sikhya O Anusandhan University, commemorates the 150th birth anniversary of tribal leader Bhagwan Birsa Munda. Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram, along with Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Durgadas Uikey and STSC Development Minister Nityananda Gond, will inaugurate the event.
Students will compete in 47 categories, including storytelling, music, dance, singing, debate and elocution. Additionally, workshops on innovation and creativity will offer students the chance to develop new skills. Each evening, Odisha’s renowned artists will perform, highlighting the state’s cultural vibrancy.
A variety of activities, including fun zones, will allow students to relax. Meals, featuring both Odia and pan-Indian cuisines, will be provided at the venue.
The festival, held in previous years in Dehradun (2023), Bengaluru (2022), Udaipur (2019) and Jamshedpur (2018) is a unique platform for young learners to showcase talent, celebrate diversity and foster camaraderie.
