Jajpur/Bhubaneswar: Attending the second Guru Padmasambhava Prayer Ceremony and the International Buddhist Conference at Udayagiri today, Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida said a special expert committee has been constituted for development of Buddhism, with a focus on linking the State to India’s Buddhist Tourism Circuit.

Addressing the second Guru Padmasambhava Prayer Ceremony and the International Buddhist Conference at Udayagiri in Jajpur district, Parida said the panel will work on the integrated development, heritage conservation, and modern historical research of major Buddhist sites across the state.

She said steps have also been initiated for the development of the Jirang Mahavihara. The government is preparing a comprehensive plan covering prominent Buddhist sites such as Ratnagiri, Lalitgiri, Udayagiri, Jirang, and Dhauli.
To revitalise Odisha’s rich Buddhist heritage, the State Government has also signed a memorandum of understanding with the Light of Buddha Foundation, Parida added.

Speaking on the occasion, Culture Minister Suryabanshi Suraj said the Guru Padmasambhava Prayer Ceremony has played a significant role in spreading the teachings of Buddhism and promoting Odisha’s Buddhist legacy at the national and international levels.

The International Buddhist Conference, jointly organised by the Department of Culture, the Department of Tourism, and the Jajpur district administration, will continue till January 16. The event has drawn over 1,700 Buddhist followers, monks, and tourists from India and abroad.

During the programme, dignitaries released the Udayagiri souvenir and several books on Buddhist heritage.

Among those present were Barachana MLA Amar Kumar Nayak, Buddhist guru Jigme Rinpoche from Jirang, Head of the Light of Buddha Foundation Wangmo Dixey, and senior government officials.

The event also featured a scholarly discussion on the historical links between Odisha and Guru Padmasambhava, followed by a cultural programme in the evening. The discussion included Richard Dixey of the Light of Buddha Foundation, French Indologist Dr Frédéric Maronval, writer and researcher Prabir Pattanayak, researcher Anita Sabat, Professor Rahul Ravi Rao, and Lama Tenzin Samphel.