IIT Bhubaneswar celebrated the 70th Independence Day at its Permanent Campus today at 9.00am in the play ground adjacent to Mahanadi Hall of Residence. Prof R V Raja Kumar, the Director hoisted the National Flag, offered floral tribute to the Father of the Nation and delivered his Independence Day address. The faculty, staff and students of the institute participated in the celebrations in large numbers with patriotic fervour.

In his address the Director emphasised on country’s self reliant and economic security through the developmental programs like Unat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA), Start Up prog. , Siksya Abhiyan , creation of  Incubation Centres etc. through the institution like IITs.  While addressing, the Director stated that "On this day, let’s all of us join in paying our respectful homage to the great personalities who sacrificed their lives and fought for the independence of India, re-ignite our hearts with patriotic manifestation, re-resolved to maintain unity in diversity and work towards strengthening  the nation in all its dimensions through hard work, adopting high ethical standards, spirited performance of our duties and innovating to bring in positive differences to the society". He stated that the institute has made strong plans and started implementing, to emerge as a strong institute of world class education and to fulfil the national dream to see all comforts of the students. He called upon the students to get empowered with right learning, harness the inherent potential, stay away from being complacent, become informed and knowledgeable individuals by emulating the personalities of the leaders like Bapuji, take to entrepreneurship than job seekers.  He expressed satisfaction on shifting of the operation to its permanent campus within one year of his taking over the charge and thanked all for their cooperation. He reiterated the students to adopt bicycle culture in the campus to improve GREEN TECHNOLOGY and wanted them to strive to make the institution a world class institution by setting standards with proper teaching learning. He expressed that the institute will make sure by engaging faculty of foreign origin to add flavour. He thanked the Ministry for sanctioning 800 Crores for construction purpose and wanted to build world class campus.

 The Prog. was followed by excellent performance displayed by the students of all the local villages adopted by IIT. The school kids performed folk dances & skits, sang songs on patriotic themes. The students were given away with prizes by the Director. The Director called on the students to emulate the spirit of becoming  good human beings and look forward to work hard and get into the main stream.