More than 200 students, teachers and non-teaching staff of Fakir Mohan University joined a coastal cleanup and awareness drive at Chandipur beach on Saturday to mark International Coastal Cleanup Day 2026.The campaign was organised under the Swachh Sagar Surakshit Sagar 5.0 initiative in association with National Institute of Ocean Technology, ministry of earth sciences, and the state govt’s science & technology department.FMU vice-chancellor Prof Santosh Kumar Tripathy urged participants to make coastal conservation a continuing civic responsibility rather than confining it to annual cleanup campaigns. He called upon students to act as environmental ambassadors and promote responsible waste disposal and reduced use of single-use plastics.Participants collected large quantities of garbage from the beach and conducted awareness activities on the impact of plastic and other waste on marine ecosystems. The campaign also highlighted the need to prevent waste from reaching the sea and encouraged local communities to adopt sustainable practices.College-to-corporate transitionThe PG department of commerce, Rama Devi Women’s University, organised a knowledge-sharing session on ‘From Aspiration to Achievement: Building the Journey from College to Corporate Professionals’ recently. The session focused on helping students bridge the gap between academic learning and industry expectations.Departmental head Prof S K Digal stressed the need for relevant skills, confidence, adaptability and a career-oriented approach to make a smooth transition to the corporate sector.D A V School of Business Management principal Prof D N Mishra outlined a ‘Five Finger Model’ for professional success, centred on curiosity, planning, execution, gap management and ownership. He urged students to adopt continuous learning and take responsibility for their career growth.Student-led magazinesSAI International School recently launched four student-led magazines aimed at encouraging young learners to research, analyse and engage with issues beyond the classroom.The magazines – SAI Arthashastra, Vistarika, Aitihya and Chakravyuh – cover diverse subjects, including economics and sustainability, careers and future readiness, history and heritage, and politics, public policy and global affairs. The publications seek to provide students with a platform to explore real-world issues, develop research and writing skills, examine different perspectives and articulate their views.SAI International Education Group chairperson Silpi Sahoo said the initiative was aimed at encouraging students to remain curious and ask questions even when there were no easy answers. The magazines, she said, would allow them to explore subjects in depth, understand different perspectives and develop their own voices through meaningful work.NIFT’s golden joy
Prarambh Pravin Rajankar receives the medal from President Droupadi Murmu
Prarambh Pravin Rajankar, a student of the fashion & lifestyle accessories department at NIFT Bhubaneswar, has won a gold medal for academic excellence in accessory design across all NIFT campuses.Rajankar, a member of the 2022–26 batch, received the medal from President Droupadi Murmu at the joint convocation of National Institute of Fashion Technology held in New Delhi recently. The award recognises his academic performance in accessory design and marks a significant achievement for the Bhubaneswar campus.MPS-MUN 2026From global conflicts and human rights to disarmament and public health, international issues came alive in Balasore as more than 160 students from across northern and central Odisha stepped into the roles of diplomats at MPS-MUN 2026.Modern Public School at Meghadambaru in Balasore town hosted the region’s first Model United Nations conference on Saturday and Sunday.Students from Balasore, Bhadrak, Cuttack and Bhubaneswar took part in intense simulations of the UN Human Rights Council, Disarmament and International Security Committee and World Health Assembly, debating complex global challenges, negotiating positions and drafting resolutions.