Redefining Odisha’s Future: A Conversation with Minister Suryabanshi Suraj

Redefining Odisha’s Future: A Conversation with Minister Suryabanshi Suraj

The political landscape of Odisha has witnessed a significant shift with the recent change in government after a remarkable 24 years. This election marked a turning point, as voters have chosen to break away from a prolonged rule, signaling a desire for new leadership, change, and a redefined vision for the state's future. This change in government after 24 years raises important questions about the shifting political dynamics, voter sentiments and the potential directions in which the state of Odisha will move. What does this shift signify for the political future of the state? How will the new administration address the challenges that have accumulated over the years? And what implications does this change have for the state's economic growth, social development, and governance structures?

In this regard, My City Links get to meet with Suryabanshi Suraj, one of the youngest ministers in the current government, who oversees major portfolios such as Higher Education, Culture, and Sports & Youth Affairs. Here’s a closer look at the thoughts and vision of this rising leader, who has already garnered significant popularity for his dynamic approach and fresh perspective.

Why do the youth of India still seem to be reluctant to pursue a career in politics?
 

This stereotype has certainly changed over time. Before the 2014 election, the common man used to think politics is beyond their business. In households we used to discuss everything but politics. However, the 2014 election marked a turning point. With the leadership of Hon. Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, NDA came to power, and with that a decisive shift towards a more inclusive and participatory democracy started. Today, people are more engaged in political discussions, and especially the youth of India plays a vital role in shaping the governance. They are not only aware but also actively involved in the political process.  

Although what you are saying is partly true, still in the last few years indirect participation of youth has increased. People are coming forward, realizing that their involvement in national politics is essential, not just for their personal growth but for the collective progress of the nation.

Given your political background, do you think it's harder for someone with no political connections to enter and rise in politics? 

In politics, everything can be both difficult and easy at the same time. It’s true that individuals from political families often find it easier to navigate the political landscape because they are already familiar with the environment. For someone from a non-political background, however, the path is less defined, and they have to learn the dynamics of politics on their own.

However, when you come from a political family, there are certain things that come attached with you such as a prior expectation of people from you, pressure of nepotism, prejudice etc. which work as hindrances. Especially in the Bharatiya Janata Party, it is not easy for someone to survive if they come from a political background without having that dedication and sincerity towards service. 

Those who come from non-political backgrounds, have learned from experience. They knew from the very first day that they have to be sincere and have to work hard for the people they represent. They are experienced with ground reality and that is where they have an edge.

Lastly I would say, if a person has that potential, dedication, perseverance and sincerity towards his job, then he will rise through all hardships in life.

University politics has long been a topic of debate in the media. As a young leader what is your opinion on it, and how you look into campus politics?

From your first question, it’s clear that the participation of young people in politics is both important and necessary. However, if we argue that student politics or campus elections should be halted in the name of better academic focus, that would be a misguided approach. In Odisha, campus elections have been temporarily suspended for the past 5 to 7 years. Our party too, has advocated for the reinstatement of these elections as soon as possible. In line with this, our law minister has already made a statement reflecting our government's stance on this matter. 

However, campus elections offer a valuable platform for talented young students to emerge and gain the experience needed to become future state and national leaders. As we were discussing earlier, for a young individual with no prior political background, these elections serve as a crucial entry point or gateway into the political arena. Therefore, we can confidently say that the benefits of campus elections far outweigh any potential drawbacks.

You are heading the Department of Higher Education. Recently, the state government has planned to roll out NEP 2020. Please shed some light on that.

Yes, the state government is now planning to implement the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 across all state-run universities and affiliated colleges starting from this academic year. In my opinion, this should have been done much earlier. The NEP represents an indigenous model, whereas the current system we follow is a colonial legacy. Thomas Babington Macaulay, a British historian and politician, was tasked with proposing changes to our education system, which ultimately led to the erosion of our traditional, Vedic approach to learning. India has a rich educational heritage, from the ancient Gurukuls to globally renowned institutions like Nalanda and Takshashila. In Odisha we had a university at Pushpagiri too. These centers of knowledge were repeatedly targeted by invaders because it is believed that the best way to weaken a nation's economic, political, and cultural foundations is by destroying its education system. The education system, that the British brought in, is structured so that an Indian could at max rise to a level of clerk or a subordinate officer to the British system and not be able to rise to positions of administrative power. Unfortunately, this legacy still shapes our education system today. It has failed to inspire creativity, innovation, or research in students, focusing instead on rote learning and the pursuit of high marks in exams. Why, for instance, can't a student from Utkal University present a groundbreaking idea on climate change at global forums like the UN? Or why can't a student from Sambalpur University publish a paper on artificial intelligence or machine learning in a leading journal? These are questions we must ask if we aim to compete on the global stage. Thus, NEP 2020 is a tool for creating this future, which encourages research and innovation in our state.

Is the infrastructure in our state adequate enough? Also, NEP talks about research and innovation in collaboration with industries. Do you feel our state industrial ecosystem is developed enough to complement this need?

We have to do industry collaboration. We are planning to amend the Odisha University (amendment) Act, 2020 in near future, where we will be adding this point, “industry collaboration will be done to identify skills to which students need to be exposed to, by taking into account the local needs, training facility available, emerging needs, and new employment opportunities,” in it.

Industry doesn't have to mean only product based industry, it could be service based or any other type of industries depending on the needs. Also, it doesn’t have to be an industry based in Odisha only, we are in touch with various industries both state based as well as outside state. We are planning to bring in a new policy named Edu-Invest (invest in education) in Odisha, in which industries and organizations will come and join us in near future.

Regarding infrastructure, I would like to clarify that we have a solid foundation in place. Any additional requirements can be met, as we are fully capable of developing them. In fact, we have already implemented the PM-USHA (Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan), one of the flagship projects of our Hon. Prime Minister, here in Odisha. This was done in the esteemed presence of our Hon. Chief Minister and the Union Education Minister. This is a centrally sponsored scheme where the centre will bear 60% of the expense and the state will have to bear the rest 40%. So, we are prepared to build the foundation, the only thing that is crucial and expected from the public, is their mindset. 

A student might score good marks, but if there’s no future employment opportunities, then over time they will shift their career to the traditional options. What reforms your government is planning to create employment opportunities in these unconventional fields?

To start with, till date we did not have a sports policy. We are planning to bring in a sports policy, for which discussion with stakeholders has already been made. After a sports policy we will try to create sports centric SEZs ( Special Economic Zone ) in which we will try to develop sports related industry clusters.

A major part of the sports industry is sports textiles or what we call technical textile. I would like to mention here that Odisha has the best technical textile policy in the whole India. The Odisha government encourages technical textile industries to set up their plant here, by giving them a subsidy of 5000 monthly salary per employee from the government exchequer. People from rural odisha, especially women in large scale, are getting employment here because of this technical textile policy. We are planning to take it even further, by collaborating with sports and sports related international brands. This will provide an employment opportunity to our youth, not just those who play a particular game but also to those who have interest in sport and other areas as well.

Similarly, I would like to ask about art and culture. What are the reforms your government is planning to bring in?

"Odia Asmita" was the central theme of our party during the election campaign. Upon assuming power, our government allocated a corpus fund of around Rs. 200 crore in the very first cabinet meeting to support this vision. One of the key initiatives under this is the development of the Asmita Bhawan, a major project that will showcase the rich culture and heritage of Odisha. This Bhawan will serve as a platform to present our state's legacy to the global audience. It will not only highlight our cultural landmarks, such as the Shree Jagannath Temple, Konark, and the Ratnagiri-Udaygiri caves, but also celebrate Odisha's tribal culture, geographical treasures, and natural wonders.

The Asmita Bhawan will introduce visitors to our tribal dance forms like Dhemsa, Ghumra, and Dhudki dances, explaining about their cultural significance, their history, the instruments used and their origins. The Bhawan will also feature our famous art forms like Chhau and Sambalpuri dance. Apart from this, we are trying to get “Bali Yatra”, UNESCO status. This year delegates from 14 countries were invited to witness and experience this age old tradition of trade fair. We specifically invited delegates from countries with which Odisha shares a historical and cultural connection through trade, harking back to the days of “Sadhaba Pua.”
We are also focusing on reviving the rich history of Buddhism in Odisha. It is believed that one of Buddha’s closest disciples, Padmasambhava, often referred to as the second Buddha or Master Rinpoche in Tibetan Buddhism, was born in Odisha. Our goal is to verify this historical claim, establish its authenticity, and present this significant heritage to the world.

In the second week of January, we will host the second International Buddhist Conclave in New Delhi, with over 1,500 Buddhist disciples from around the world in attendance. This presents a unique opportunity for us to ask: Why not develop our own Buddhist centers in Odisha, with similar historical significance, to attract visitors who are already traveling to places like Bodh Gaya or Sarnath?
 

Odisha’s tribal population is gradually losing its distinctiveness as they assimilate into mainstream society. As the Culture Minister, what is your vision for reviving these culturally and anthropologically significant traditions?

Definitely yes, we have 13 out of the total 75 PVTGs ( Particularly vulnerable tribal groups) currently present in our state. Odisha has a majority tribal population and they have a dynamic and beautiful culture. Here, I would like to thank the NDA government under leadership of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji, who created a special ministry for tribal affairs in the year 1999, and gave an Odia person Mr Jual Oram, its charge. Earlier there was no ministry on this head. 25 years later Mr Jual Oram still holds the same ministry. Recently, Hon. Prime Minister has launched the “Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan” scheme under PM-JANMAN to improve the socio-economic welfare of the PVTGs. Also, the “Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan” is designed to focus on 25 scheme interventions for the next 5 years, through coordinated efforts of 17 ministries, that will bring the tribal population of 30 state/UTs across the country to the mainstream.

In this year's Bali Yatra we showcased the tribal culture and instruments in a separate section and highlighted it. Again we have identified 26 tribal languages, which will be considered into the language labs that we are proposing in our state universities.

The School and Mass Education Department has created a linguistic word book that compiles the dynamics of various tribal languages like Juang, Ho, and Khol. This book offers comparative analysis of different words across different tribal languages. We plan to print and release it soon, as part of our efforts to preserve and promote the languages and culture of our tribal communities.

If I may ask a casual question, what would you have become if not a politician?

Had it been God's will, I would have embraced whatever path was destined for me. If I were not in politics today, I would have pursued a career as an IT professional, as that is my academic background. Before entering politics, I worked as a software engineer for four years after completing my B.Tech.
 

Where do you want to see Odisha in 5 years or 10 years from now?

By the time we reach 2036, around 10 years from now, Odisha will celebrate 100 years of its formation and being a separate state based on our linguistic identity. We have our vision clear. We want to make our state self-reliant so that we don't have to depend on mining and excise only, for our revenue requirements. We have our natural heritage, cultural significance, buddhist history, tribal treasure, we have around 480 km of coastline, rich wildlife and forest resources, huge scope for agriculture and food processing industries, our language is a classical language and our culture is one of the oldest, we have an ancient and rich heritage that is our wealth. These resources, if utilized effectively, not only on India map but also on the world map, Odisha could secure a significant place for itself.