First Annual Maharaja Sriram Chandra BhanjaDeo Lecture

The First Annual Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanjadeo Lecture was delivered at the 200 seated Conference Hall of the University on May 20, 2022. This event was the part of the decision taken by the Syndicate of the University post naming the University after the revered Maharaja to organize an annual Lecture in the name of the Maharaja by a renowned person in various fields. This first annual lecture was delivered by Professor Jonathan Mark Kenoyer, Department of Anthropology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA who was the Chief guest. At the outset, Professor Kenoyer paid homage to Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanjadeo as a Renaissance man who paved the way for a modern Odisha. In his lecture titled "The Indus Civilization: New insights into its origin and legacy", Prof Kenoyer discussed the new lights of research on Indus Valley Civilisation. He made a point that people came to live in cities at Harappa not for climate change, but for economic benefit, shared ideology and security from bandits. The findings of the Seals implied the presence of landowner merchants, ritual specialists. More importantly the Unicorn motif in the seals implied the presence of some kind of bureaucracy. The pottery, figurines found in Harappan sites represent shared material culture. Evidence at Harappa suggests that the Antiquity of silk is older than that of China. On the basis of studies of the teeth of cattle, the diversity of food habits of the human population of Harppa was also reconstructed. Harappa had the diversity of population and diversity in cultural practices integrated through shared ideology and economic benefit. Professor Kenoyer argued for the presence of matrilocality culture at Harappa. Further he insisted upon learning from the good method of town planning from the Harappans. Vice Chancellor Professor Kishor K Basa presided over the meeting. Professor P. K. Satapathy, Chairman Post Graduate Council delivered the welcome address and introduced the Chief guest professor Kenoyer. Registrar Sri Sahadeb Samadhia proposed the vote of thanks.