Naveen Patnaik calls Odia alumni to help in rebuilding their own institutions

NEW DELHI: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday called upon the Odia alumni across the globe to be a collaborative force in rebuilding their own institutions in their motherland. The chief minister rolled out the 'Mo College' (my college) campaign in line with the 'Mo School' (my school) programme and also launched a web portal through virtual platform, to connect former students with their institutions.

He said that the state government has been taking steps to enhance the structure and functioning of higher education. "Never the less, the personal contribution of the alumni will have a magical touch to it," Patnaik said. The chief minister was optimistic that Mo College would bring a similar response for higher education institutions as that of the Mo School.

Welcoming the Odia diaspora around the globe and alumni members of different colleges who were connected through live streams, the chief minister said: "this campaign is an emotionally invested platform reconnecting the Odia Alumni. There's nothing more rewarding than going back to the treasured memories of our college days".

Patnaik said that the campaign is not limited only to the alumni. Non-alumni philanthropists, charitable organizations, group of persons and institutions can also be part of this initiative. He said the mission strives for a healthy learning atmosphere and that it is grounded on the principles of nation-building, promoting creativity, skill development and nurturing teamwork, thereby making the colleges and universities an innovative and exciting place to study. He said that "we all should realise the joy of giving back to our respective alma maters, where we enjoyed the most vibrant period of our youth and shaped our future."

Higher Education Minister Arun Sahoo described this campaign as a unique experiment of the chief minister to reconnect the alumni for the development of institutions. He further said the contribution of our schools and colleges are enormous in our life. So this is the right platform to be a part of the development of the alma mater, he added.

Former MLA Akash Das, the chairperson of the Mo college campaign, gave a detailed account of the campaign and it's future course of action. He said 755 government colleges and universities including technical and professional institutions are included in the campaign. A corpus fund has also been constituted by the state government to support the movement. Under the campaign, the government will provide the grant equivalent to double the contribution made by former students of universities and colleges. The students, individuals and members of the society can contribute. The government will take steps for the development of the institutions with the contribution amount.