Bhubaneswar, Jan 7: Former Vice-President of India M. Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday emphasized the importance of grounding cultural progress in human values such as social harmony, environmental sustainability, dignity of labour and inclusive growth. He was speaking at the valedictory ceremony of the 27th Foundation Day of the Utkal University of Culture.

Naidu said Odisha occupies a unique place in India’s civilisational narrative, where culture has always been regarded as a living force shaping collective life. From rituals and customs to architecture, literature, music, dance and craftsmanship, he noted, culture in Odisha permeates everyday life. It was therefore fitting, he added, that the country’s first university dedicated exclusively to cultural studies was established in the State.

Addressing students, Naidu urged them to respect tradition while embracing innovation. He stressed that education should empower young minds to question, create and serve society, reminding them that they are not only inheritors of a rich legacy but also creators of its future.

Observing that the present era is dominated by speed and technology, Naidu cautioned that development without cultural grounding risks becoming hollow. Institutions like the Utkal University of Culture, he said, remind society that progress must remain rooted in identity, ethics and shared memory.

The former Vice President emphasised that culture is dynamic and continuously evolving, and the university’s responsibility extends beyond conservation to meaningful reinterpretation of traditions through research, documentation, creative experimentation and academic dialogue. He lauded its interdisciplinary approach, outreach initiatives and community engagement, describing teachers as mentors who balance academic excellence with ethics and creative sensitivity.

Odisha Governor Dr. Hari Babu Kambhampati, addressing the gathering, highlighted the need to view culture as a driver of innovation, enterprise and sustainable livelihoods in a rapidly changing, technology-driven world. He said students and alumni of the university are not only custodians of tradition but also potential cultural entrepreneurs and innovators.

Dr. Kambhampati also referred to Odisha’s civilisational legacy, citing Emperor Ashoka’s transformation after the Kalinga War and King Kharavela’s reign as examples of peace, humanism, courage and cultural vision. He praised Odisha’s temple architecture, Jagannath culture, and its classical, folk and tribal traditions.

Odisha's Minister of Higher Education Suryabanshi Suraj, eminent writer and Jnanpith Awardee Pratibha Ray, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Prasan Kumar Swain and Registrar Anamika Adhikari were, among others, present on the occasion.