Bhubaneswar, Jan 6: A coordination meeting was held on Tuesday in preparation for the three-day “Second Odisha Parab,” scheduled to be organised from January 30 to February 1 at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Guwahati, Assam. The meeting, convened at the Tourism Department conference hall, was chaired by Tourism Department Director Dipankar Mahapatra.

During the meeting, Mahapatra stressed the importance of showcasing Odisha’s rich heritage, culture, traditions, Odia cuisine, handloom and handicraft products, and tourism potential in an effective manner. He called for close coordination among departments to ensure the festival is organised smoothly and successfully.

It was decided that the event will feature 20 stalls from six departments along with 10 dedicated food stalls. The Handlooms and Textiles Department will set up the maximum number of stalls, followed by six stalls from the Handicrafts Department. ORMAS and Mission Shakti will each put up three stalls, while ADISHA will showcase Koraput coffee. Cultural programmes will be organised by the Odia Language, Literature and Culture Department to enhance the festival’s appeal.

The meeting also discussed strategies to promote Odisha’s heritage and traditions in the northeastern region and to attract industrialists from other states to invest in Odisha. Emphasis was laid on active participation of members of the Odia community residing in the Northeast to make the festival more inclusive and memorable.

Senior officials from the Odia Language, Literature and Culture Department; Scheduled Tribe and Scheduled Caste Development, Minorities and Backward Classes Welfare Department; Information and Public Relations Department; Mission Shakti Department; Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts Departments; ORMAS; Odisha Tourism Development Corporation; FICCI; and the Tourism Department attended the meeting and shared details of their respective stalls and activities planned for the event.