The Odisha Research Centre (ORC) on Sunday, September 28, entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai, to advance social research and youth development initiatives in the state.

The MoU was formalised in the presence of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Odisha’s Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj, as reported by The New Indian Express.

Calling the collaboration a milestone for the state’s future, Pradhan remarked, “History is like a mirror. No nation can dream about its future without remembering its history.” 

He stressed the importance of bridging the past and the future through historical awareness and evidence-based research.

Highlighting Odisha’s cultural wealth, the minister cited examples such as the Bhima Mandali cave, ancient rock art near Naktideul, and archaeological discoveries from the Tirtol region. He also pointed to the architectural brilliance of the Jagannath Temple at Puri, the Sun Temple at Konark, and the Lingaraj Temple in Bhubaneswar, which, he said, stand as testaments to the “scientific and social acumen of ancient Odia civilisation.”

Pradhan further noted that every district in Odisha has nurtured its own distinct identity in education, heritage, art, culture, history, and literature. 

“The need of the hour is to create a new age economy in line with the vision of PM Modi,” he added, as per TNIE.

The event was also attended by IIT Kharagpur Director Suman Chakraborty, IIT Bhubaneswar Director Shreepad Karmalkar, TISS Vice Chancellor Badri Narayan Tiwari, and ORC Director Chandi Prasad Nanda.