The State-Level Children’s Festival Suravi 2025 concluded on a grand note. During the valedictory function, Chief Guest Nityananda Gond, Minister for School and Mass Education, encouraged the participating students and distributed awards to the winners.
Among other distinguished guests were Smt. Sulochana Das, Mayor, Bhubaneswar, Dr N. Thirumala Naik, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, S&ME, Smt. Ananya Das, SPD, OSEPA, and Shri Manoj Kumar Padhy, Director, SCERT.
The three-day festival held at Capital High School, Unit-3, witnessed enthusiastic participation from students across Odisha. Expressing satisfaction over the successful conduct of the festival, the Minister stressed the importance of both cooperation and healthy competition among children. He said that apart from academics, interest in sports, painting, music, and dance contributes to the holistic development of students, and Suravi serves as an ideal platform to bring out their hidden talents.
The Minister further highlighted the need to cultivate curiosity about global knowledge and emphasised integrating new technologies into the education system to make it more self-reliant. He also appreciated the pivotal role of teachers in shaping individuals and society.
Addressing the students, Mayor Smt. Sulochana Das said that children from every corner of the state look forward to the Suravi festival, which provides them a platform to exhibit their skills. She also praised the efforts of the School & Mass Education Department for organising the event on such a grand scale.
Commissioner-cum-Secretary Dr N. Thirumala Naik encouraged the students to continue participating with the same enthusiasm in future editions of the festival. He advised them to refine their inner talents and prepare themselves for the future.
During the concluding ceremony, awards were distributed to students who excelled in various competitions. Around 170 children received prizes from the Chief Guest. The Odisha State Open School also released simplified and concise textbooks for Class X, covering five subjects: Hindi, English, Sanskrit, Biology, and Physics.
A total of 25 exhibition stalls were set up at the venue, showcasing initiatives such as NIPUN Odisha, FLN, NEP 2020, Sishu Vatika, PM-POSHAN, Adarsha Vidyalaya, and Olympic Values Education. The visiting dignitaries appreciated the efforts displayed in the stalls.
The festival featured a wide range of activities, with the mock United Nations becoming a major attraction. Sessions like Meet the Personality helped inspire the students. This year’s special feature, Suravi Sambad, served as a platform to promote media awareness among school children through newsletters and bulletins. Students were also taken on visits to local historical sites.
In the 2025 edition of Suravi, children from Classes I to III were given opportunities to participate at the school and cluster levels under the NIPUN Odisha – NIPUN Bharat programme. This year, more than 2,400 students and accompanying teachers, along with over 1,000 government officials and staff, took part in the state-level event. The festival concluded with vibrant performances, interactive learning experiences, and the collective celebration of children’s creativity and potential.
