Kalahandi University gets land for permanent campus – Times of India

In September, 2019, the state government had converted the Kalahandi University as affiliating universities. Chief minister Naveen Patnaik had given his approval for this. Initially, the state government had given unitary university status to the Government Autonomous College, Bhawanipatna, on March 6, 2019.

The 96.47-acre land is around 10 km from Utkela airstrip, which is included under the UDAN scheme for development. “It is a very scenic place near the Tel river and hills. There is no problem for communication as this is located on the side of Bhawanipatna-Khariar road. Besides, railway station and airstrip is nearby,” said Sanjay Kumar Satapathy, who assumed charge as vice-chancellor of this university last month.

Satapathy said he will first ensure massive plantation and boundary wall in the permanent campus. “We will make rainwater harvesting structures for saving water,” he said this after visiting the site at Karlapada village recently.

The vice-chancellor said the permanent campus of the university will be a global centre of education. “We have planned to set up Rendo Majhi Centre for Tribal Studies and Gudhandi and Yogimatha Centre of Anthropology. As the Kalahandi is a tribal dominated district, we have planned for starting a centre for tribal studies,” he added.

He said the local administration has earmarked the land and local villagers have cooperated well. “I have visited the place and talked to the villagers about their opinion. They are happy that a university will be set up near their village. Detail planning for this campus will be done within a few days,” he added.

Kalahandi University has 50 colleges of Kalahandi and Nuapada districts. These colleges were functioning under Sambalpur University. Government Autonomous College, Bhawanipatna, was started in 1960.