The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu, graced the birth anniversary celebrations of Adikabi Sarala Das and presented the Kalinga Ratna Award-2024 to Union Minister for Education, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan at Cuttack, Odisha, today (July 15, 2025).
Speaking on the occasion, the President paid her respects to Adikabi Sarala Das. She said that Adikabi Sarala Das has enriched Indian literature by composing the Mahabharata. She appreciated 'Sarala Sahitya Sansad' for celebrating the birth anniversary of the great poet and organizing various literary programs.
The President congratulated Shri Dharmendra Pradhan on receiving the Kalinga Ratna Award. She also congratulated Shri Bijaya Nayak, who received the literary award, ‘Sarala Samman’. The President said that our diversity is like a rainbow.
Our unity has been very strong for ages. We have many languages, but the sentiment is one. The world remains amazed at how India remains united and integrated amidst so many languages and so many religions.
The President said that Indian languages have contributed immensely in enriching the Indian educational tradition. It is a matter of happiness that in the National Education Policy 2020, emphasis has been laid on imparting education in the mother tongue.
She said that education in the mother tongue could help children connect to their culture and tradition. She stated that one should also learn other languages besides their mother tongue.