Bhubaneswar: While entire Odisha is celebrating Utkala Dibasa with much fanfare, the eminent persons in major fields also wished people of the state on the auspicious occasion.

Former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag, who appreciates Odisha people and its culture, greeted people on microblogging site Twitter.

His tweet received over 80 replies, 329 retweets and 3,500 likes so far just after the post on Twitter.

Even South African cricketer AB de Villiers also acknowledged Sehwag's tweet. Replying to Sehwag he wrote, "To the wonderful people of Odisha .. #UtkalaDibasa enjoy.."

‏Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, the Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports at Centre and former Olympian, wished Odisha people on Utkala Dibasa on the microblogging site.

Indian filmmaker and social activist Ashoke Pandit also posted the message on Twitter greeting people of Odisha on the 83rd Utkala Dibasa.

National BJP President and Rajya Sabha MP Amit Shah wished people of Odisha in Odia language on Twitter.

Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar greeted people on the occasion for growth and development of the state. He also retweeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's tweet posted earlier in the day wishing people of Odisha on Utkala Dibasa.

Minister of Home Affairs Rajnath Singh also tweeted on the occasion of Utkala Dibasa.

Union Petroleum & Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan remembered the legendaries Madhusudan Das, Parala Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati, Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanjadeo, Vyas Kabi Fakir Mohan Senapati and Poet of Nature Gangadhar Meher, who had played key roles for formation of separate statehood based on language.

Union Minister of State for Culture (I/C) and MoS- Environment, Forest and Climate Change Dr Mahesh Sharma greeted people of Odisha for peace, progress and prosperity of the state.

Minister of Commerce and Industry, Civil Aviation Suresh Prabhu wrote in Odia on Twitter wishing people on the occasion.

Union MSME (MOS) Minister Giriraj Singh took to Twitter to wish Odisha people on Utkala Dibasa describing the state as the 'land of Triveni of Valor, Culture and Food delicacies'.

Rajya Sabha MP from Odisha and Former Indian hockey skipper Dilip Tirkey also wished people on the occasion on Twitter.