THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

BHUBANESWAR, AUGUST 15, 2026

 “We owe our freedom and sovereignty to the selfless service and ultimate sacrifices of our Armed Forces,” Vice Chancellor Prof. (Dr.) Supriya Pattanayak said, calling upon students to transform the spirit of Independence into a commitment to nation-building through responsible use of emerging technologies and pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as Centurion University celebrated India’s 80th Independence Day with a grand ceremonial parade and extensive community outreach.

The Bhubaneswar campus marked the occasion with a vibrant blend of patriotism, student talent and social responsibility. The morning began with the Parade Commander escorting dignitaries to the saluting base, followed by a unified rendition of the National Song. The Tricolor was jointly unfurled by Prof. (Dr.) Pattanayak and Sania Kuintal from the Department of Sports, as the National Anthem resonated across the campus.

Addressing the gathering, Prof. Pattanayak said the sacrifices of the Armed Forces must inspire the younger generation to shoulder its responsibility towards the country's future.

 “But as we look ahead, the true celebration of that freedom lies in how we build our nation. It is our collective responsibility to harness emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence constructively, ensuring we drive India's development while staying firmly committed to our Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” she said.

The campus soon came alive with a massive 31-platoon ceremonial parade, showcasing discipline, unity and patriotic fervour. The parade was followed by a colourful cultural programme in which students from various cultural clubs presented performances featuring music, drama, dance and yoga, drawing an enthusiastic response from the gathering.

The formal programme also featured prize distributions for recent CSR competitions and felicitations for the participating parade contingents. The on-campus celebrations concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Campus Director Prof. Jagannath Padhi.

Taking the spirit of Independence beyond the university campus, a delegation of 22 students and staff later visited Adruta Children's Home at Kantabada, Mendhasala, where they spent time with more than 200 parentless and abandoned children. The university contingent shared meals with the children, distributed snacks and extended financial assistance to the shelter as part of its community outreach initiative.

The students said they were deeply moved by the resilience and spirit of the children, whose spontaneous dance performances added an especially memorable dimension to the interaction.

The day's programmes were spearheaded by the university's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) team under the guidance of Dr. Sangram Keshari Swain, Dean of Students' Welfare, reinforcing the university's emphasis on combining academic growth and technological advancement with social responsibility and service to the community.