Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Thursday inaugurated the State-level children’s festival ‘Surabhi-2026’ and the Mukhyamantri Shiksha Puraskar distribution ceremony at Capital High School Ground here on Thursday.
As part of the initiative to strengthen school education and promote innovation among students, the Chief Minister inaugurated state-of-the-art robotics laboratories in 807 schools across Odisha. The initiative aims to connect rural students with modern science, robotics, coding, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and 3D printing.
He also launched the ‘NIPUN App’ to strengthen the foundation of primary education in the state.
During the programme, a total of 375 outstanding teachers, students and educational institutions were honoured with the prestigious Mukhyamantri Shiksha Puraskar for their achievements and contributions to the education sector. Nabarangpur, Kataka and Kalahandi districts received recognition for their outstanding performance.
Additionally, 7,350 meritorious students were awarded the Mukhyamantri Odia Bhasha Bruti (scholarship) for their academic excellence.
Addressing the students, Majhi urged them to use mobile phones primarily as tools for learning rather than entertainment. He advised them not to run merely after academic degrees or higher marks but to focus on developing practical skills, capabilities and competencies that would help them succeed in life.
The Chief Minister also visited an exhibition showcasing innovative projects and products developed by students as part of the state-level children’s festival. He appreciated the creativity, scientific temperament and innovative abilities demonstrated by the young participants and encouraged them to continue exploring new ideas.
Wishing the children a bright future, Majhi said such initiatives would help nurture creativity, scientific thinking and innovation among students.