THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU
BHUBANESWAR, JULY 29, 2026
Odisha Governor Dr. Hari Babu Kambhampati on Wednesday
commended Centurion University for integrating education with skill
development, innovation and entrepreneurship, saying higher educational
institutions should empower students to become job creators by translating
research and technology into market-ready products.
Accompanied by First Lady Dr. Jayashree Kambhampati, the
Governor visited the university campus and reviewed a wide range of initiatives
in academics, research, innovation and sustainable development.
Centurion University Co-founder and President Prof. (Dr.) Mukti
Kanta Mishra and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Supriya Patnaik were among those who
accompanied the Governor and the First Lady during the visit. They took the
dignitaries around the campus and briefed them on the University's various
academic programmes, research initiatives, innovation-driven projects, skill
development models and industry-linked interventions.
During the visit, the Governor inaugurated the Tradition and Technology Interface Learning Lab and unveiled murals depicting themes from
the Mahabharat and the Ramayan. He interacted with the artists
and appreciated the efforts to blend India's cultural heritage with modern
educational practices.
The Governor toured several advanced research and innovation
facilities, including the Bio-Enzyme and Bio-Char Unit, the Wild Orchid
Laboratory, the Tissue Culture Facility and the Industry 5.0 – Centre for
Creativity, Curiosity and Competency Lab. He also inspected customised electric
vehicles developed by the university for defence and other public sector
applications.
Highlighting the university's focus on sustainability and
biodiversity conservation, the Governor released indigenous butterflies into
the university's butterfly garden, introduced juvenile koi fish into a
specially developed pond and released rescued pigeons into the open. He also
reviewed the Bubble Oxygenation Aeration Sustainable Technology (BOOST)
initiative and an IoT-enabled trellis system, "Vanquishing Vanilla
Vines", developed to support high-value agriculture.
The Governor was briefed through a digital presentation on
indigenous traditional sports and experienced a virtual demonstration of the
university's low-cost miniature tissue culture technology designed to make
advanced agricultural solutions more affordable and accessible.
As part of the visit, Dr. Hari Babu Kambhampati and Dr.
Jayashree Kambhampati planted two white sandalwood saplings at the university's
"Shrine of Soul, Peace and Spirituality" as a commemorative gesture.
They also inaugurated a range of natural skincare products developed by the
university's School of Pharmacy & Life Sciences and School of
Biotechnology.
Appreciating the university's emphasis on experiential learning, the Governor said institutions of higher education must bridge the gap between classrooms, laboratories and industry. He appreciated the university's efforts to provide students with practical skill training and facilitate the commercialisation of innovations by taking products developed in laboratories to the marketplace.
The Governor underscored the importance of linking education with entrepreneurship and hands-on skills, saying such an approach would not only make students self-reliant but also enable them to generate employment opportunities for others, according to a statement issued by the university.
