Sargiful Festival 2025 Inaugurated to Showcase Tribal and SC Student Talent

The much-awaited Sargiful Festival 2025 was inaugurated today by Nityanand Gond, Hon’ble Minister for School and Mass Education, Scheduled Tribe & Scheduled Caste Development, Minority & Backward Classes Welfare, and Social Security & Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities. The three-day state-level festival is organised under the aegis of the Academy of Tribal Language and Culture (ATLC), under the Scheduled Tribe & Scheduled Caste Development, Minority & Backward Classes Welfare Department.

Senior officials present on the occasion included Shri B. Parameswaran, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Shri Surendra Kumar Meena, Additional Secretary, Shri Laxman Kumar Mallik, Director, SC, Smt. Jugaleswari Dash, Director, OBC, and Shri Sudhakar Sabor, Director, SCSTRTI and Member Secretary, ATLC.

Minister Highlights Role of Sargiful in Student Development

Addressing students at the inaugural ceremony, Minister Gond emphasized that Sargiful brings hope and joy among children while providing a powerful platform to nurture hidden talents of Scheduled Tribe and Scheduled Caste students. He added that the participants possess the potential to represent Odisha at higher levels and excel in diverse fields.

The Minister also highlighted the achievements of the department, noting that over 5.5 lakh students are currently enrolled in 1,765 educational institutions and 5,963 hostels. He announced that 235 new hostels have been approved for ST and OBC students. Under the Madho Singh Haath Kharcha Scheme, incentives are provided to students in Classes IX and XI, while enhancements in pre-matric and post-matric scholarships for SC and ST students aim to boost educational development.

Festival Aims to Foster Creativity and Holistic Growth

In his welcome address, Commissioner-cum-Secretary Shri Parameswaran explained that students and teachers from Ashram Schools, Sevashram Schools, High Schools, Residential Schools, and Eklavya Model Residential Schools from all 30 districts are participating. He emphasized that the festival benefits both students and teachers alike.

On the inaugural day, 10 meritorious SC/ST students who excelled in the 2025 Class X Board Examination were felicitated with certificates, mementoes, and books.

Events and Competitions Galore

Sargiful Festival, organised annually since 2010, culminates at the state level after school, block, and district-level events. This year, 1,160 students from all districts are participating in a variety of activities.

A state-level Science Fair featuring 40 stalls, a volleyball tournament with 112 participants, and 22 competitions across 16 pavilions including painting, music, debate, quiz, dance, and slogan writing are part of the festival. Additionally, 27 workshops on child journalism, mathematics games, mural art, puppetry, storytelling, glass painting, Chhau dance, poster making, and drawing are being conducted, celebrating creativity, culture, and innovation among the young talents of Odisha.