By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, March 1, 2018: An Odia language chair has been set up at India’s premier educational institution Banaras Hindu University for promoting Odia literature and culture with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Wednesday in this regard.

This will be the second chair to promote Odia literature and culture. Such a chair was first set up at New Delhi based Jawaharlal Nehru University, officials said.

Odisha Culture secretary Manoranjan Panigrahi signed the MoU with the BHU Registrar Neeraj Tripathi. The state government has provided Rs 5 crore to set up the Odia chair, which was named after great Odia poet Upendra Bhanja.

The Odia chair has been set up with an aim to promote Odia literature and its culture, encourage non-Odia students and scholars for research and studies on Odia language at BHU in Uttar Pradesh, said Panigrahi.

Earlier, the Odia chair, named after legendary poet Adi Kabi Sarala Das, was opened at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in February last year.