Tributes paid to Ambedkar at SOA

Bhubaneswar: Glowing tributes were paid in memory of Bharat Ratna BR Ambedkar on his birth anniversary at Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (SOA) on Thursday with speakers describing him as the architect of Indian Constitution which had stood the test of time.

Though he came from a family of untouchables he battled heavy odds to emerge as the true face of India in the outside world, Prof. Ashok Kumar Mahapatra, vice-chancellor of the University, said at a meeting organised by the NSS wing to mark the occasion.

Describing the Indian Constitution as the best anywhere in the world, Prof. Mahapatra said it encompassed law, justice, equality and honesty.

Prof. Damodar Acharya, Chairman of the SOA Advisory Board, said in spite of the kind of experience Dr. Ambedkar had to go through as an untouchable in society, he rose to be the architect of the constitution of the nation. He said that untouchability was the result of a mental attitude and the society was still trying to come out of this mindset.

“We have to respect the Indian Constitution and Dr. Ambedkar to take the country forward,” he said adding he had embraced Buddhism to protest against untouchability.

Prof. Jayadev Pati, professor in the faculty of law, said the Indian Constitution had not failed. “Often we have failed the constitution, but it is not the other way round,” he said.

SOA Pro vice-chancellor Prof. Pradipta Kumar Nanda, advisor-cum-dean of the faculty of hospitality and tourism management, Prof. Sitikantha Mishra and dean of the faculty of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry Prof. Bramhadev Pattnaik also spoke.

The meeting was attended by Prof. Manjula Das, Controller of Examination, Prof. Manas Kumar Mallick, Director, ITER, Prof. Jyoti Ranjan Das, dean (Students’ Welfare), Prof. Nachieketa K. Sharma, Director, University Outreach Programme, Dr. Priyabrata Patnaik, additional dean (Research), chief administrative officer PK Panda, senior officials and students. Sujata Padhy, manager, University Outreach Programme, proposed the vote of thanks.