TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Odia Samaja Taiwan organized and celebrated their first Odisha Day on Saturday (April 1) to honor the formation of Odisha as a separate state on this day.



Odisha Day, referred to as Utkal Divas, was the first official event celebrated by the people of Odisha living in Taiwan. Residents of Taichung, Hsinchu, and Zhongli gathered to commemorate the creation of the state on April 1, 1936.



The celebration kicked off at noon with all the attendees reciting their state’s anthem, followed by speeches and cultural exchange activities including performances and games. Odia people gather on this day to highlight and appreciate the progress they have made in science, agriculture, and tourism.



Odisha, which used to be known as Orissa, was created on the basis of language during British rule. Several Odia-speaking regions came together and demanded their own state to recognize their distinct culture and language. Odia is one of the six classical languages in India alongside Tamil, Sanskrit, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, with a verified historical presence of over 1500 years.



Odia Samaja Taiwan is a cultural society composed of scholars, working professionals, and families from Odisha living in Taiwan. Formed in November of last year, their mission is to share their rich heritage with others and celebrate their culture despite being far from India.



The event holds a greater global significance by encouraging immigrants to come together as a community and honor their roots, and preserve their cultural identity. Some attendees mentioned, “It is hard to feel in touch with our rich culture when we live far from India, coming to this kind of event makes me feel connected.”



One of the organizers echoed this sentiment.“Immigrants should celebrate their roots and proudly share their culture.”

Odisha immigrants in Taiwan gather and celebrate their culture on April 1. (Odia Samaja Taiwan photo)