Bhubaneswar: Language is their only identity and they want to invest time and energy in promoting their mother tongue, Odia, and the state’s culture across the world, expat Odia community members on the third day of the First World Odia Language Conference here opined in unison, Monday.
Expressing their heartfelt thanks to the Odisha government for hosting the carnival, representatives of Odia societies based in UK, Saudi Arabia, and the United States of America said this will go a long way in the promotion of Odia language and establish communication with those living abroad. Though the NROs (Non-Resident Odias) have very proudly merged themselves into the life and culture of western countries, they said they all still feel a connection to their motherland. Pratap Rath, a resident of USA said, “We take great pride in local language, heritage and tradition. We took many of the artistes from the state to the USA for performance in the last few years which helped in spreading the state’s culture.” He said, “Although promotion of Odia culture is not one man’s job, Odia community members can work together to spread the culture.” He said that the key to continue the culture of Odisha is to continue to spread the language to the new generation who are living abroad. Bhagyashree Singh, representing Odia Society of UK, said, “Odia language is one of the classical languages of the country and this conference is a good way to showcase our language and its history. It’s a privilege for us to be here. The Odisha government deserves kudos for organising such an event.” “Language is our identity. It binds us together. The government should organise such event every year,” he added. Singh also said, “Odia culture is very rich. But many people of the world still have little idea. So, it’s our responsibility to spread our rich culture.”
