400 North American Oryias descend on Rose Theatre
Sunday July 6 2008
By Ashley Goodfellow, Staff Writer
A message of hope and pride was delivered to roughly 400 North American Oryias, who assembled at Brampton’s Rose Theatre for the 39th annual Convention of The Orissa Society of the Americas (OSA) on Friday. Orissa is a state in India.
Odisha Governor Murlidhar Chandrakante Bhandare, a guest speaker at the event, addressed the crowd with his thoughts on the opportunities presented to North American Oryias.
“I’m so happy you enjoy such a rich culture and diversity everyday,” he said about those who live in cities like Brampton and Toronto.
Oryias living in North America, he said, have brought a great deal of recognition to Orissa— its culture, its history, its current affairs.
“Spread your wings wider, fly longer, and prosperity will come to Orissa,” he said. “But what is most important is that you never forget the nest you flew from, that nest which is Orissa.”
Bhandare shared statistics about the state’s current economic conditions— an area he hopes to see change dramatically over the next five years.
Roughly 47 per cent of those living in Orissa are living below the poverty level, he reported.
“We have to drive away the dire poverty from Orissa,” he said. “Orissa is the most peaceful state in India. Culturally, it is the richest; minerally, it is the richest; yet economically, it is the poorest.”
During Bhandare’s speech, roughly 80 per cent of the guests indicated their desire to provide financial support to their homeland.
Other speakers touched on recent developments in Orissa, such as improvements to infrastructure and transportation.
“The future is very bright for India,” remarked Satish Mehta, Consul General of India to Canada, who encouraged patrons to renew their connections with India.
Priyanka Patnaik, 22, drove in from Ottawa with her family to take part in the convention. Her uncle from San Diego, CA., was the recipient of an award presented at the delegation.
“I really like the fact that everyone comes together,” she said. “It’s also a great opportunity to meet other Oryia people.”
Patnaik said she related well to Bhandare’s address— particularly his remarks about Oryia people spreading their wings in the Americas.
“We call ourselves Canadian,” said Patnaik, who was born in Canada but visits India every other year. “But our parents brought us up with the Indian culture, so we’ve been able to strike that balance (between cultures).”
Following the ceremony, the event featured an elaborate cultural program complete with traditional song, dance and dress.
The convention took place July 3 to 5 across the GTA.
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