Nepali KIIT student death: A death in hostel and a campus on the boil
On February 16, a female student from Nepal was found dead in her hostel room at the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology in Bhubaneswar. When protests demanding justice for her grew on campus, the university evicted more than 500 Nepali students, prompting a response from the Nepali Prime Minister and nearly triggering a diplomatic crisis.Satyasundar Barikreports on the incident and the ongoing protests
India Falls to Germany 0-4 in FIH Pro League Clash
The Indian womens hockey team lost 0-4 to Germany in the FIH Pro League in Bhubaneswar today. The Germans controlled the match from start to finish, with Amelie Wortmann and Sophia Schwabe scoring their first three goals before Johanne Hachenberg converted a penalty corner in the 59th minute. The Germans secured 10 penalty corners in [] The post India Falls to Germany 0-4 in FIH Pro League Clash appeared first on The Indian Awaaz .
NIT Rourkela researchers use machine learning to assess groundwater quality for irrigation
Teacher takes up farm labour to protest salary delay
CM discusses about rly projects with Union min
CM declares war against family monopolies in industrial sector
20-acre enclosure ready for Zeenat: Forest dept
KIIT founder, 7 others questioned over univ incident
Odisha CM holds discussions with Ashwini Vaishnaw on development of railway infra
Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi Friday held detailed discussions with Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on the various issues related to the development of the railway infrastructure in Odisha. CM Majhi, who is on a visit to the national capital, called on Railway Minister Vaishnaw Friday. The Ministry of Railways has sanctioned several significant []
KIIT University row: Odisha minister says efforts underway to bring back Nepali students
Bhubaneswar: Odisha Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj said Friday said that efforts are on to bring back the Nepali students and also assured them to bear the travel expenses of all the students returning back to their campuses at KIIT University in Bhubaneswar. Speaking during the discussion on the adjournment motion moved by the legislators []
Class X student dies in Balasore hours before exam
Rlys announces key infra projects for south Odisha
Govt officials penalised Rs 1.24cr over past five years
Capital city to host Subhadra Shakti Mela from today
Schopman wins battle of coaches as Germany women sink India
BHUBANESWAR: Like the city has tended to do over the last few days, the blazing afternoon sun had given way to threatening storm clouds on Friday evening. Just when the respective India-Germany women's teams lined up for the anthems, some of the scribes sought the comfort of the media centre as droplets of water began falling on the media tribune, a place inside the ground where journalists sit and file in real-time. There were similar scenes elsewhere across the four stands of the Kalinga Stadium. Fans made their way to the quickest exit. On the blue turf, though, it was very much business as usual for the sides. Even if the Pro League has a tangible reward for the team finishing first at the end of the season a World Cup spot sides have been taking it easy, playing in second and third gear rather than chasing after lost causes and putting bodies on the line. It's how competitions at the beginning of a new Olympic cycle tend to be; the older players have either left or are being phased out, youth is the buzzword and a loss is more palatable because sides can dress it up as growing pains, lessons for the future. Saying all that, the India vs Germany encounter had some promise because of the rich narratives in play. One of the last times these two sides faced each other (an Olympic qualifier at Ranchi early last year), Germany dumped India in a penalty shoot-out in the semifinal. Subsequently, India failed to win the third-place match. A month later, Janneke Schopman, then India coach, resigned. These days, Schopman is in charge of the German women's team. Actually, both sides have new coaches, a common theme at the beginning of a new Olympic cycle. Coaches Schopman and Harendra Singh with plenty to prove. For the former, another chance to show her coaching acumen in India after leading the Odisha Warriors to the title in the inaugural Women's Hockey India League. She doesn't want to spend too much time on her experience with the women's time (the Dutchwoman had accused her former employers of discrimination before resigning). That is a closed chapter, the stint with the German team is about embracing new challenges. For Singh, too, the Indian stint is a new challenge. On the evidence of the 60 minutes in the driving rain, Singh's challenge is far greater. They weren't at the races as the visitors were all over them like a rash from pushback. From an Indian perspective, this was like watching a bad movie, the relief apparent only after the end, with the electronic scoreboard saying India 0-4 Germany. After the match, the Indian coach claimed his side were the fitter outfit but the visitors were quicker to snuff out danger, reacted better to chances and scored several eye-catching goals in the process. The second one, by Sophia Schwabe who dribbled past several defenders before finding the board, was a case in point. At half-time, Singh, in a short pitchside interview, had said his team was giving Germany way too much respect. He touched on it after the match. Too much respect for the opponents, he said in the mixed zone. So much discussion about the match in the dressing room and meeting room... show the character. We have to show grit and determination. If we show too much respect, we are going to pay the price. Show the character, show determination, show that you are hungry... in the third quarter, we were all over them but small mistakes and we went back to our shell. This is what we have to learn, the entire team has to work but someone has to step up and take the lead and start because there's no communication, no coaching on the pitch, everyone just running here and there in the first quarter wasting their gas. By the time the final hooter had cut through the evening air, the rain had dissipated and the soundtrack of the crowd's familiar roar every time an Indian player drove forward with the ball was back. However, it was few and far in between. Friday's scores: Women: Netherlands 5-1 England, Germany 4-0 India. Men: India 3-1 Ireland.
India beat Ireland 3-1 in mens FIH Pro League
Bhubaneswar: The Indian mens hockey team came back from a goal down to beat Ireland 3-1 in FIH Pro League in Bhubaneswar Friday. The Indians were stunned by the Irish in the eighth minute when Jeremy Duncan scored from a field effort. But the Indians bounced back strongly, scoring a field goal through Mandeep Singh []
Two child marriages stopped in Koraput
Plan to encourage millet-based liquor production
Private coaching centre owner arrested for raping student thrice
Excise department uses drones to trace illicit liquor operations
745 students in Keonjhar skip first days exam
Indian womens hockey team loses to Germany 0-4 in FIH Pro League
BHUBANESWAR, Feb 21: The Indian womens hockey team continued to disappoint as it lost 0-4 to Germany in FIH Pro League here on Friday. The Germans controlled the match from the start to finish, scoring their first three goals all field efforts through Amelie Wortmann (3rd minute) and Sophia Schwabe (18th, 47th) before Johanne Hachenberg converted a penalty corner in the 59th minute. The Germans secured as many as 10 penalty corners in the match as against Indias [] The post Indian womens hockey team loses to Germany 0-4 in FIH Pro League appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
HSC examinees happy on first day on exam
BJPs double engine govt turned out to be double misery for Odisha: Patnaik
Bhubaneswar: Leader of Opposition in the Odisha Assembly, Naveen Patnaik, Friday mocked the ruling BJPs double engine government, asserting that it turned out to be double misery for the state. The BJD president also claimed that the Central government did not increase the grant-in-aid funds for Odisha. Patnaik, a five-time former Chief Minister, was participating []
Nepalese girl death: KIIT founder Samanta appear before Odisha govt panel
Bhubaneswar: Senior officials of Odisha-based Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), including its founder Achyuta Samanta, Friday appeared before the state governments high-level committee investigating the alleged suicide of a Nepalese engineering student and subsequent attack on students from the neighbouring country. Former BJD MP Samanta arrived at the state guest house ahead of his []
Honey badger rescued from abandoned well in Gajapati
Mini Jurassic park to open in city by month-end
Girls death, mistreatment to Nepalese students at KIIT rocks Odisha Assembly
Bhubaneswar: Cutting across party lines, members of the Odisha Assembly Friday condemned the mistreatment of Nepalese students following the death of a girl on KIIT campus, while the Opposition BJD and Congress staged a walkout from the House, demanding a judicial probe into the incident. The issue related to the alleged suicide of a 20-year-old []
Congress demands action from BJP govt over reports of missing of women, children in Odisha
Bhubaneswar: The Congress Friday slammed the NDA government at the Centre and the BJP dispensation in Odisha over reports of missing more than 36,000 women and 8,400 children in the state. Addressing media persons here, newly appointed AICC in-charge of Odisha Ajay Kumar Lallu asked why human trafficking is rampant in the state. As per []
Indian data centres: 7 key trends
Tier II cities such as Patna, Jaipur, Lucknow, Ahmedabad, and Bhubaneswar are already in demand to set up facilities to manage growing data traffic
45K Sishu Vatikas to be opened in Odishas primary schools from this academic year
BHUBANESWAR: To strengthen pre-school education in the state, the Odisha government has decided to open over 45,000 pre-primary classes called Sishu Vatikas at all government-run primary schools in the new academic year of 2025-26. This will mark the launch of National Education Policy (NEP)-2020 at school level in the state. Officials of the School and Mass Education department said while children in the age group of five to six years will be admitted to the Sishu Vatikas, those aged three to five years will continue their education in anganwadi centres, as per existing practice. There are 45,042 government schools with primary grades in the state. According to the UIDSE+ report 2023-24 of the Ministry of Education, of these 45,042 schools, 21,124 have anganwadi centres on their campuses and only 759 schools have pre-primary sections. Also, 602 government schools have both anganwadi centres and pre-primary sections. Similarly, there are 18.08 lakh children in the three to six years age group in around 71,000 anganwadi centres. The existing teachers and infrastructure in primary schools will be used to operationalise Sishu Vatikas in the new session. Officials said SCERT and OSEPA in collaboration with the Regional Institute of Education (RIE), Bhubaneswar are training primary school teachers to impart pre-school education to children in the age group of five to six years in Sishu Vatika classes. SCERT and OSEPA will also help the School and Mass Education department in development of teaching materials for teachers and workbooks for the preschoolers. Sources said subsequently, plans will be drawn to provide additional infrastructure and manpower in primary schools in a phased manner over the coming four years, by provisioning the same through Samagra Sikshya and state budget. Sishu Vatika is the regional adaptation of the Education Ministrys Bal Vatika concept. While the existing education system has two years of pre-schooling, the NEP-2020 mandates three years of pre-school. On Monday, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi proposed a budget of `31,000 crore for school education, a majority of which will be used for implementation of NEP at school level.
NHRC demands report on unconsented vasectomy of disabled tribal youth
BHUBANESWAR: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has asked the state government to submit a detailed report on steps taken for recanalisation of non-surgical vasectomy (NSV) of a differently-abled tribal youth from Malkangiri district. The apex human rights panel has asked the secretary of Health and Family Welfare department to inform the commission whether the recanalisation of NSV has been done after obtaining voluntary consent from the victim and by following due procedure, within six weeks. On August 3, 2023, staff of Mathili sub-divisional hospital in Malkangiri district had allegedly conducted vasectomy on the differently-abled tribal unmarried youth without taking his consent. He was among five persons from Ambaguda and nearby villages who underwent the procedure that day. A group of social activists brought it to the notice of the CDMO alleging the local health staff did so to meet their target of family planning operations. The youth was taken to the hospital on the pretext of regular health check up. Stating the family planning surgery was conducted in violation of the government guideline and protocol, Supreme Court lawyer Radhakanta Tripathy had filed a petition in the NHRC seeking justice for the victim. Pursuant to the directions of the NHRC, the surgeon had also admitted his negligence and suggested the recanalisation of the no-scalpel vasectomy (NSV) was needed to be done after obtaining consent from the client. Subsequently, the commission had ordered the state government to pay a compensation of `1 lakh to the victim and submit a compliance report. Meanwhile, collector of Malkangiri district has submitted his report stating compensation has been paid to the victim. The government has also taken action against the erring staff.
Odisha planning 32 dams on Mahanadi river: Minister Mukesh
BHUBANESWAR: The state government is preparing a master plan for construction of dams and barrages on the upper and lower catchments of Mahanadi river for sustainable water conservation and development in the interest of Odisha, Parliamentary Affairs minister Mukesh Mahaling said on Thursday. Replying to a question from Prasanna Acharya (BJD) on behalf of chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Mahaling said in the Assembly that 32 big, medium and small dams along with 27 barrages are being planned for the Mahanadi river at different places in the state. Besides, there are proposals for construction of 72 in-stream storage (ISS) structures for water conservation. Stating that it is a long-term plan, the minister said around Rs 51,000 crore will be spent by the government during the next five years. Work on the detailed project report will start soon, he said. Responding to Acharyas allegation that the BJP government has cancelled tenders floated by the previous government for construction of ISSs, the minister said he will look into the matter. Acharya also said the Chhattisgarh government has constructed 8-9 barrages on the upper basin area of Mahanadi due to which water flow in the river at the starting point in Odisha has reduced drastically. There were several questions relating to Mahanadi river and Hirakud dam. In a written reply to a question from Ranendra Pratap Swain (BJD), the chief minister stated, Due to excess unplanned use of Mahanadi water in the upstream catchment of Mahanadi basin by Chhattisgarh, flow of water to the downstream of Odisha is gradually reducing as observed at Hirakud dam site located near the interstate border of Chhattisgarh and Odisha. The state has raised the issue before the Mahanadi Water Dispute Tribunal and filed its claims through a number of pleadings. The matter is now sub-judice.
Lone accused held for attack on girl of Sambalpur University
SAMBALPUR: Police on Thursday arrested a 35-year-old man for allegedly attacking a girl student of Sambalpur University, who was found with severe head injuries in a field near Metakani temple in Burla. The accused is Rakesh Das, a native of Kolkata who is staying at Burla. He was arrested on charges of assaulting Sonalika Naik, a PG final-year student of Library Sciences department at Sambalpur University. Police said Naik used to chat with the accused on phone for the last around two months. On Wednesday evening, Das called her to meet him at a field near Metakani temple. Accordingly, the girl reached the field and waited for the accused. When Das arrived on the spot, he found Naik talking to someone over phone. Suspecting her of talking to some boy, he confronted the girl and asked her to disconnect the call immediately. When Naik refused, the accused flew into a rage, picked up a stone and hit her on the head multiple times before fleeing the spot. The student suffered grievous head injuries and became unconscious. Later, passersby found the girl lying in a pool of blood and informed police. Naik was then rushed to Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences And Research (VIMSAR), Burla for treatment. Sambalpur SP Mukesh Bhamoo said on basis of the complaint lodged by the students father, police launched an investigation into the incident. After examining the footage of CCTV cameras installed in the area, the accused was detained. During questioning, Das confessed to his crime following which he was arrested. Das is the lone accused involved in the incident and he committed the crime out of sudden provocation. The stone used in the assault has been seized, said Bhamoo. The accused was produced in court and remanded in judicial custody. Mobile phones of both the accused and the victim besides their earphones have also been seized. Further investigation is underway, said police. Sources said Naik has been shifted to Bhubaneswar and is undergoing treatment at a private hospital in the state capital. Police are yet to record her statement.
No salary for three months, Odisha school teacher seeks leave to work as labourer
BALANGIR/BHUBANESWAR : A government school teacher of Balangir, who reportedly hasnt received salary for the last three months, sought leave to work as a labourer on Thursday. Prabhudatta Sahoo, a teacher in Government Primary School at Bandhanbahal village in Puintala block of the district, applied for a one-day leave to work as a labourer and earn wages claiming that he has not received his salary for the last three months. In his leave application to the headmaster of the school, the teacher said due to non-payment of salary, he is facing severe financial constraints and has no other option but to work as a daily labourer to support his family. His leave was reportedly granted by the headmaster. While both the teacher and the headmaster of the school could not be contacted, district education officer Pradeep Nag said Sahoos salary is pending for two months and not three. Sahoo belongs to Odisha State Assistant Teachers cadre (ex-cadre). Salaries of such teachers were delayed for two months due to technical snags in digiGOV website which is used to process the ex-cadre teachers salaries. This problem is not limited to Sahoo alone. Teachers of ex-cadre throughout the state faced salary delays. We have already cleared the salary for December which they can draw from Friday onwards. The rest amount will be processed soon, Nag added.
5 more held for 'assault' on Nepalese students in KIIT; arrested student to undergo voice-match test
Five more employees of a private education institute were arrested for allegedly assaulting Nepalese students protesting a fellow student's death. Police will conduct a voice-matching test on a student allegedly involved in abetting another student's suicide. The government assured campus peace and a fair investigation, emphasizing accountability.
The state government has summoned KIIT founder Achyuta Samanta to appear before an investigative committee probing the alleged forced eviction of Nepalese students. The eviction followed the death of a student due to alleged harassment. Samanta apologized for the incident and assured that action had been taken against those responsible while urging students to return and resume classes.
KIIT founder summoned over incident at univ
Last rites of KIIT student performed in Nepal
Kathmandu/Bhubaneswar: The last rites of Prakriti Lamsal, the Nepali student who died by suicide in her hostel at KIIT University, were performed in Bhairawa, Nepal, Thursday. Mentionably, Lamsal, a 20-year-old third-year B.Tech student, was found hanging in her hostel room Sunday. Following her death, her cousin filed a complaint at Infocity police station, alleging that []
Govt accelerates urban development initiatives to achieve 2036 vision
KIIT founder Achyuta Samanta tenders apology to Nepali students parents, asks pupils to return
Bhubaneswar: Days after the unnatural death of an engineering student from Nepal and subsequent attacks of students from the neighbouring country, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) founder Achyuta Samanta Thursday tendered an apology to the parents of the Nepalese pupils and urged all those vacated the campus to come back. The video of Samantas []
Brundaban man faces cop action for filming inside Puri temple
Bizman arrested for celebratory firing at wedding
City eyes better rank in Swachh Survekshan-2024
Hirakud dams storage capacity is gradually declining, says CM Majhi in assembly
TPSODL presents 2025-26 revenue requirement to OERC
Man held for rape attempt on 4-yr-old
NGT seeks report on illegal stone mining at Nischinta hill
Man sentenced to 20yrs of RI for kidnapping, raping minor
Three persons, two minors arrested for multiple burglaries in Jeypore
Man arrested for murder attempt on student
Sex racket busted in Puri, 12 arrested
7 held in Rourkela double murder case
Odisha to witness big political revolution, says new state Congress chief
Bhubaneswar: Newly appointed Odisha Congress president Bhakta Charan Das Thursday said that the state is going to witness a big political revolution, whose foundation was laid now. The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) led by Das took out a 60-km Sankalp Padayatra from Bhubaneswar to Puris Lord Jagannath Temple. The padayatra, which began February 18, []
Odisha govt to set up EV charging stations at 100 places
Bhubaneswar: Odisha government has decided to set up electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at 100 places in the first phase, the Assembly was informed Thursday. Commerce and Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena said 21 charging stations would be established in Bhubaneswar, 38 in various regional transport offices (RTOs), 23 in truck terminals and 18 in []
Odisha: BJD govts 5T announced 52 cyclone shelters without sufficient funds, says Suresh Pujari
Bhubaneswar: In an apparent dig at VK Pandian, who was a close aide of former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, state Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari Thursday said that the 5T had announced the construction of 52 new cyclone shelters without sufficient funds for those. Pandian was the secretary of 5T (transformational initiative) []
KIIT student suicide: Five more arrested for attacking Nepalese students
BHUBANESWAR: The police on Thursday arrested five more staff of the private engineering college KIIT here on the charge of assaulting Nepalese students while they were vacating the hostel following a direction of the institute authorities, police said. With this, the number of people arrested in the KIIT fiasco increased to 11 including an engineering student, who was booked for allegedly abetting the suicide of a 20-year-old Nepalese student in her hostel room on Sunday. Following her death, the Nepalese students had staged demonstrations demanding justice. The Infocity Police Station in a statement said that the five accused persons, all employees of KIIT, were found in CCTV footage assaulting the students while they were vacating their hostel rooms on Monday between 11 am to 12.20 pm. The KIIT staff suddenly arrived there and asked them to leave as soon as possible. Odisha govt panel summons KIIT founder Achyuta Samanta over Nepalese student's death Seeing that the students were a little late in vacating the hostel, the accused persons suddenly got angry and abused them in incomprehensible language, attacked them and beat them up. As a result, the students immediately fled from the place, the police said. The police later produced them at the court. Based on the evidence provided by the police, the court has rejected their bail petition and remanded them to judicial custody for 14 days, the police said. Earlier, the police had arrested five employees of the deemed to be university, and they secured bail. The police were criticised from different quarters for the five accused getting bail. The police have registered two cases in connection with the suicide of the Nepalese girl student and the subsequent attack on the youths from the neighbouring country allegedly by the staff of KIIT.
IMD forecasts thundershowers in Odisha till Feb 23, state govt alerts districts
Bhubaneswar: With the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting thunderstorms and lighting in Odisha for three days till Sunday, the Odisha government put at least 25 districts under alert. Light to moderate rainfall took place Thursday morning in many places, including Bhubaneswar and in the districts of north coastal Odisha, and in some places in the []
KIIT University row: Five more arrested
Bhubaneswar: Commissionerate Police Thursday arrested five more staffers of the KIIT University on the charges of assaulting Nepali students during their forceful eviction from the University campus in Bhubaneswar Monday. The accused persons, identified as Ajaya Kumar Swain (46), Saroj Kumar Routray (45), Chandan Kumar Swain (29), Sudhansusekhar Behera (41), and Ramakanta Sethi (37) are []
HIL to go four venues in 2026, says HI president Tirkey
BHUBANESWAR: There was a time in the recent past when hockey within the Indian context meant Bhubaneswar. These days, Hockey India (HI) are putting in place an elaborate plan to take the sport to multiple centres across different states. A sport not bound by borders, if you will. The next 12 months will re-emphasise this feeling as the sport in different avatars (the franchise based Hockey India League as well as international hockey to be held in India) will crisscross the length and breadth of the country. Here's a sample of what's to come. The men's Asia Cup will be held in Rajgir in Bihar (the winners will qualify for the World Cup) in August. Following that, the junior World Cup will be held in two cities in Tamil Nadu (Madurai and Chennai in November and December). The season will close with the resurrected Hockey India League in four Indian cities (the just-concluded season was in Ranchi and Rourkela). After the HIL (finished), HI president, Dilip Tirkey said on Thursday, we got a feeling that it might be a good idea to spread the league to other centres. The quality of hockey was very nice, so this will be a nice way to spread the sport. Also, if the players move around, there will be less chance of boredom setting in by staying at just one place for a prolonged period. So, it is possible that the next edition will be held in four venues. It's understood that Chennai and Lucknow may be among the four cities to be in the running to host some league matches in the second year. One of the other proposed big changes pertain to the league window. The men's HIL began just after Christmas and ran till the first week of February. It saw some foreign stars pull out of the competition as they wanted to spend New Year's at home. To make it more foolproof, the league is contemplating a start date in the first week of January to allow foreign players the option of spending time with their families before linking up with the teams. At the auction, 96 international players were signed but over 25% of the players had pulled out of the league because of the timing. There are also plans to cut the flab apropos the length of the league. While HI haven't received any feedback, this will be music to the ears of national coach, Craig Fulton, who had voiced his concerns after India's 1-4 loss to Germany on Tuesday. With India missing Harmanpreet Singh and Hardik Singh to niggles and Sumit a long-term absentee, the South African had said that the league 'had taken its toll' on the players without elaborating. These plans are, however, yet to be rubber-stamped and will need the approval of all stakeholders including the team owners and broadcasters (there is a meeting coming up between the different interested parties to discuss these things). Signs of improvement for India women despite mixed results HI are also drawing up some plans to fast-track the growth of Indian coaches. This has remained a genuine gripe and the issue was front and centre as most of the HIL teams had foreign chief coaches in the dugout. One thing we noticed is that all teams had a foreigner as the chief coach, Tirkey, who's up for re-election as HI president next year, said. So we have to do something about it by helping our Indian coaches reach a level that they are considered for roles like these. We will support them in all ways possible, including identifying places elsewhere in the world where coaching programmes are good and send a few of them to learn from them. Its in the pipeline, but something we want to do. On the subject of the age-group World Cup later this year, HI had no choice but to hold it in two cities because of the absence of multiple pitches at the same venue in Chennai. With it being a 24-team edition, Madurai was considered. It's not yet known who will play where. Staying on the subject, Tirkey assured that PR Sreejesh will get to coach the side at the event. The 2021 batch didn't get that as then senior coach, Graham Reid, was asked to take charge of the team at the event. Friday's matches Women: England vs Netherlands, India vs Germany Men: India vs Ireland Matches begin from 3.00 PM
KIIT student death case: Achyuta Samanta asked to appear before high-level panel
Bhubaneswar: Amid ongoing outrage over the death of a third-year KIIT University student and the subsequent action against protesting students from Nepal, university founder Achyuta Samanta has been asked to appear before a high-level committee set up by the Odisha government to investigate the matter. The Higher Education Department, in a letter to Samanta Thursday, []
KIIT student death case: Minister assures action; Opposition vows to raise issue in Odisha Assembly
Bhubaneswar: The furore over the death of a third-year student of KIIT University and the subsequent action against protesting students hailing from Nepal, refused to die down, with the Odisha government promising strict action and the Opposition BJD vowing to raise the issue in the Assembly Thursday. The Skill Development and Technical Education Minister of []
KIIT returns to normalcy after uproar over Nepalese students death
Bhubaneswar: Normalcy is slowly returning to Odishas Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), days after the alleged suicide of a 20-year-old Nepalese woman, as students turned up for classes in large numbers Thursday amid tight security on the campus. The unrest on the KIIT campus began Sunday, after 20-year-old Prakriti Lamsal died allegedly by hanging []
A library in transit: Bhubaneswar airports free book haven
Odisha to construct 16 dams, 15 barrages on Mahanadi river: CM
Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi Thursday informed the state assembly that 16 dam and 15 barrage projects have been planned for securing sustainable water development with equity for Mahanadi waters in the interest of the state. In a written reply to a query by BJD legislator Ranendra Pratap Swain, the chief minister said, []
Odisha: In KIIT crisis, police lapses shouldnt be overlooked
The recent happenings in KIIT University have not only raised serious questions on the conduct of the institutions authorities but also sullied the image of Odisha internationally. The unsympathetic manner in which the varsity handled the suicide case of a Nepali student and the resultant protests by fellow students have sparked massive outrage nationally and drawn intervention of the Himalayan nations top leadership from its prime minister to foreign minister. While the university is understandably under fire, the role of the state government, particularly its police in dealing with an extremely delicate situation involving students of a foreign country which also happens to be a friendly neighbour of India cannot be absolved. After the girl students death by suicide, the accused a batchmate of the victim - was arrested from Bhubaneswar airport on Sunday evening. But student protests had flared up on the campus and the streets in the area of the capital city and continued through the night. The police was in the thick of things all along as a law and order situation had emerged, yet it chose to be a mute spectator. It is hard to believe the police administration was not aware when the university issued a notice the next morning declaring the institution closed sine die only for students from Nepal . The varsity then began ferrying the Nepali students, who number in hundreds, by buses to different railway stations in and around Bhubaneswar and dropped them there. This surprisingly did not catch the attention of the state government despite widespread reporting in the media with disturbing visuals on the misery of the evicted students. That the intelligence wing of state police had no information of such activity is unimaginable. As usual, the police and the administration, which should have intervened to diffuse the situation chose to stay aloof. It was not until the incident turned into a diplomatic issue with Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli stepping in to intervene that there was a statement from the government, and damage control exercise was set into motion. However, the blame should lie more on the police for allowing the situation to spiral to the extent it has. For Infocity police station, under whose jurisdiction all this happened, it might have been another case of suicide followed by protests, and expecting the local officers to comprehend the enormity of the situation would amount to asking too much of them. But, the oversight of senior officers of state police as well as Commissionerate Police in such a grave issue is just appalling, as it involved Indias and Odishas international relations. The Nepal Ministry of Education, Science and Technologys caution that it would be constrained to issue NOCs to its students wishing to study in Odisha if the current situation was not resolved in a justifiable and legal way should be a matter of concern for Odisha government, thanks to the abdication of responsibility, poor intelligence and tardy response of the state police. Not so long ago, the assault and humiliation of an Army officer and his fiance at a police station had brought disrepute to the state. The Mohan Charan Majhi government, which pulled out all stops to salvage the situation, has constituted a high-power committee to investigate into the matter. Hopefully, the panel will also look into the commission and omission of the police which was in position to arrest the damage but chose to look the other way.
Vedanta to transform 100 anganwadi centres
BHUBANESWAR: The Anil Agarwal Foundation has signed an MoU with the Rayagada administration to transform 100 anganwadi centres into state-of-the-art Nand Ghars to cater to the needs of women and children. In the first phase, 15 anganwadi centres in Kashipur block will be upgraded to Nand Ghars while the remaining 85 centres will be upgraded across other blocks in different phases. Appreciating Vedantas efforts, district social welfare officer Minati Deo said the Nand Ghar initiative is not just creating learning centres, but also safe spaces that nurture the holistic well-being of children and women. Chief operating officer of Vedanta Aluminium Sunil Gupta said the company is dedicated to community development which is rooted in its core values of creating a positive and lasting impact in and around the regions it operates. The MoU was signed in presence of collector Parul Patawari.
Odisha Governor seeks flights between Vizag and Bhubaneswar
Odisha CM urges Nepalese students to return to KIIT, assures them of justice
Bhubaneswar, Feb 19 : Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday urged Nepalese students of Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) to return to the campus here and resume studies, assuring them that peace and normalcy will be restored soon. Around 1,000 Nepalese students of KIIT were issued suspension notices and asked to leave []
CM speaks to Nepali counsellors, urges students to return
MLA urges House to recommend Padma Shri for Koraput composer
Rs 143cr released for conservation, mgmt of 4 Ramsar wetlands in state: Ministry to HC
KIIT announces scholarship in students name
Drive against modified bike silencers
2.72L students write Class XII Odia paper, many say was easy
3-Member Committee Visits KIIT University, Begins Probe Over Nepalese Student Death
The three-member high-level committee, constituted by the Odisha Government to inquire into the alleged mistreatment meted out to Nepali students by KIIT University in Bhubaneswar, began their probe into the unfortunate incident on Wednesday.
Deputy collector arrested for taking Rs 50k bribe
Mining companys exec & driver, missing since last week, return home
Art in heart, Pritchard roams city with sketchbook in hand
Former BDO sentenced to three years in jail
NLUO hosts mediation, negotiation conclave
Gharial number rises by 2 in Mahanadi gorge
Partially-burnt body of 17-yr-old boy found in room
Will stop practice of not allowing women to board buses first
NCSK seeks ATR from govt on sweepers beheading
CBI probes recruitment irregularities in AIIMS
