Bhubaneswar: In order to celebrate the spirit of learning, the Odisha Government is going to host the 5th EMRS National Cultural and Literary Festival & Kala Utsav - ‘UDBHAV’ in Bhubaneswar.

The festival being organised by the Department of STSC Development & Minorities and Backward Classes Welfare is scheduled to be held from November 12-15, 2024. The National Educational Society for Tribal Students (NESTS) is funding the festival.

More than 1,300 students and 250 teachers from Ekalavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) of 22 states will participate in this cultural extravaganza. The event is organised in the Sikhya O Anusandhan University. This year’s event is observed as a tribute to 150th Birth Anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda.

Minister of Tribal Affairs Jual Oram, Minister of State of Tribal Affairs Durgadas Uikey and Minister of STSC Development M&BCW Dept Nityananda Gond will attend the inaugural ceremony.

Students will be competing in 47 events including storytelling, music, dance, singing, debate, elocution etc. Innovative and creative workshops will be held where students will learn new skills and sharpen their existing ones. 

Cultural events will be organised every evening for two hours. Renowned artiste of the State will perform at the event.

Fun zones are also planned whereby students will unwind and relax. Students will be served breakfast, lunch and dinner at the venue itself. The pan Indian menu also includes cuisines from Odisha. 

This four-day event is likely to give students a platform, on which students from the entire country come together, to celebrate the spirit of learning, competition, and cultural celebration amidst fun-fare.

Previous editions of this EMRS National Cutural & Literary festival and Kala Utsav were organised in Deheradoon (2023), Bengaluru (2022), Udaipur (2019), Jamshedpur (2018).