Ramakanta Biswas

Bhubaneswar: Union Petroleum and Natural Gas minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Sunday suggested that an alumni fund should be set up for development of Utkal University and also assured to donate his one year’s salary to the fund.

Addressing the function on the second day of platinum jubilee celebrations of the varsity, Pradhan who is also one of its alumni, said, “I will donate my one year’s salary to the alumni fund of the university by next week. The vice-chancellor will provide me the real-time gross settlement (RTGS) number and I will transfer the amount within the next two to four hours.”

Highlighting about the former students of the varsity who have excelled in different walks of life from State to international level, Pradhan called upon the alumni of the varsity to take the lead to transform it into a world-class institution.

Utkal University, the oldest varsity of the State is marking its 75th year of establishment and to mark the occasion, five-day Platinum Jubilee celebrations kicked off in its campus yesterday with CM Naveen Patnaik inaugurating the event.

On the second day of the celebrations, alumni of various departments joined the event and organised special programmes. Subsequently, a joint meeting was organised at the Biju Patnaik sports complex of the varsity which was graced by eminent personalities including Pradhan and Odisha Agriculture Minister Arun Sahoo.

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