Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (SOA) Deemed to be University joined the rest of the country in celebrating the 74th Republic Day with the Chancellor Prof. D.P. Ray unfurling the national flag in the university stadium here on Thursday.

The program, which featured a colourful cultural extravaganza, was attended by students, faculty members and others.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Ray highlighted the progress made in various sectors since independence which had made India a strong nation. An agricultural scientist himself, he said as per advance estimates for 2022-23, the country’s total food production would be around 328 million tons which was higher by 6.98 million tons compared to the average food production of the previous five years.

Prof. Ray said SOA had become one of the largest and most preferred multi-disciplinary, research-driven and extension oriented universities. SOA’s vision was to become a leading institution of higher learning in its chosen areas of concentration to prepare future generations through quality teaching and innovative research, he said adding students from several foreign countries were studying in different institutes under the university.

The university, he said, was focusing on interdisciplinary and trans-disciplinary research activities having filed 355 patents while 27 patents had been granted, he said.

Students from several foreign countries attended the program and felicitated the Chancellor and other dignitaries.

Prof. (Dr.) Amit Banerjee, Pro-Chancellor of SOA, Prof. Bijay Kumar Sahu, Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Pradipta Kumar Nanda, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Prof. Bibhuti Bhushan Pradhan, Pro-Vice Chancellor cum Registrar, Prof. Jyoti Ranjan Das, Dean (Students’ Welfare), Deans of different institutes and Directors were present.