Bhubaneswar, Dec 18: The state‑level Sargiful Festival 2025, a flagship platform celebrating the creativity and talent of Scheduled Tribe and Scheduled Caste students, Kickstarted here in Odisha on Thursday. Nityanand Gond, Odisha’s Minister for School and Mass Education; ST & SC Development; Minorities & Backward Classes Welfare; and Social Security & Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, inaugurated the festival, officials said.

Organised by the Academy of Tribal Language and Culture under the ST & SC Development Department, the three‑day festival has drawn 1,160 students from all 30 districts of Odisha. Senior officials, including Commissioner‑cum‑Secretary B. Parameswaran, Additional Secretary Surendra Kumar Meena, and Directors Laxman Kumar Mallik, Jugaleswari Dash and Sudhakar Sabor, were present at the inaugural ceremony.

Addressing the gathering, the Minister said the festival has become a symbol of hope and opportunity for tribal and Dalit students, offering them a platform to showcase their abilities in diverse fields. He noted that many participants have the potential to represent Odisha at national and international levels.

Highlighting departmental achievements, the Minister said over 5.5 lakh students are currently enrolled across 1,765 educational institutions and nearly 6,000 hostels. He added that 235 new hostels have been approved for ST and OBC students. The Madho Singh Haath Kharcha Scheme, which provides incentives to Class IX and XI students, along with enhanced pre‑matric and post‑matric scholarships, is expected to significantly boost educational outcomes.

In his welcome address, Parameswaran outlined the structure of the Sargiful programme, which begins at school, block and district levels before culminating at the state level. Students and teachers from Ashram Schools, Sevashram Schools, High Schools, Residential Schools and Eklavya Model Residential Schools are participating this year.

Ten meritorious SC/ST students who excelled in the 2025 Class X Board Examination were felicitated with certificates, mementoes and books.

A major attraction of Sargiful 2025 is the state‑level Science Fair, featuring 40 stalls presented by 80 students and 40 guide teachers. A volleyball tournament with 112 participants is scheduled at Tapoban High School. The festival will also host 22 competitions across 16 pavilions, including painting, debate, quiz, dance and slogan writing, along with 27 workshops on child journalism, mural art, puppetry, storytelling, Chhau dance, mathematics games and more.

The festival, held annually since 2010, continues to promote creativity, confidence and holistic development, offering a vibrant space for young talents to flourish.