Bhubaneswar: President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the Jagadguru Kripalu University in Cuttack, Odisha, on Monday.
Addressing the gathering, the president remarked that Odisha carries centuries of tradition in knowledge, culture, spirituality and service. She noted that this sacred land of Mahaprabhu Jagannath has long championed inclusivity, compassion and human welfare.
She pointed out that Cuttack is the birthplace of towering figures like ‘Utkal Gourav’ Madhusudan Das, ‘Karmavir’ Gauri Shankar Ray, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and Biju Patnaik, and was also the workplace of ‘Utkalmani’ Pandit Gopabandhu Das and ‘Utkal Kesari’ Dr. Harekrushna Mahtab.
According to her, Cuttack’s role in public service, literature and culture has been deeply significant and inspiring.
The president voiced hope that the new university, founded in this historic region, would emerge as a strong force for national and social service by blending India’s ancient cultural and spiritual heritage with contemporary education.
Turning to India’s demographic profile, Murmu said the country’s young population is among the largest in the world and remains its biggest strength.
She stressed that universities need to build spaces where youth can nurture their abilities and chase their ambitions, backed by value-driven education, according to an official statement.
Institutions, she added, bear the duty of moulding citizens rooted in integrity, discipline, sensitivity and national commitment. Knowledge, in her words, gains real purpose only when it serves humanity, uplifts society and drives national progress.
She reaffirmed the target of achieving Viksit Bharat by 2047, calling higher education institutions central to this mission. Universities, she urged, should function as knowledge hubs that generate ideas and technologies suited to society’s needs, while holding on to ethical values even as they adopt modern learning.
Expressing satisfaction, she said Jagadguru Kripalu University would nurture research, innovation and entrepreneurship, alongside a focus on students’ cultural and spiritual development. Murmu further said she was confident the institution would groom skilled professionals, researchers and entrepreneurs capable of advancing the vision of a ‘Viksit Odisha’ and ‘Viksit Bharat’.
