Bhubaneswar/Kendrapada: The 57th annual convention of The Odisha Society of the Americas (OSA), ‘Milana Taranga’, was held by the Odia diaspora at Minneapolis in the US, from July 2 to 4, with a focus on the development of public libraries back home. The convention drew around 1,200 people from across the US.“The OSA convention is hosted by different chapters every year. This year it was the turn of Minneapolis,” said Rama Prasada Mohapatra, one of the organisers.The event featured Odissi dance and musical nights, besides several workshops and seminars. Among the performers were Odissi dancers Guru Aruna Mohanty and Guru Sujata Mohapatra, bhajan maestro Manmath Mishra, comedian Harihara Mohapatra and singers Nazia Alam, Shasank Sekhar and Diptirekha Padhi, all invited from Odisha. “Our members had requested that the artists be brought from Odisha because they want to remain connected to their roots,” said Mohapatra.A ‘pitha’ competition was also organised. While caterers took care of food arrangements, several volunteers also prepared traditional delicacies like Odia mutton curry, fish ‘besara’ curry and ‘macha chencheda’.At the convention, the OSA renewed its push for the development of public libraries in Odisha, calling for a modern, integrated library system to promote reading and socio-economic growth across the state. It also organised a virtual seminar on ‘Public Library Development in Odisha’.Debendra Kumar Das, professor emeritus of mechanical engineering at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, urged the organisation to help revive the 129-year-old Diamond Jubilee Public Library in Kendrapada. Established in 1897 during the diamond jubilee celebrations of Queen Victoria, the library houses nearly 15,000 books in English, Odia, Hindi and Bengali, and preserves a visitors’ register bearing remarks from eminent personalities, including Kabibara Radhanath Ray and former CM Biju Patnaik.Ajaya K Mohanty, chair of the OSA Public Library Initiative, said the organisation is working to establish a well-integrated and world-class public library network in Odisha.Also present at the convention were consul general of India in Chicago, Somnath Ghosh; founder of KIIT and KISS, Achuyta Samanta; and CEO of OYO Rooms Ritesh Agarwal who helmed a business symposiums.
