CENTRAL UNIVERSITY OF ORISSA, KORAPUT

Dr. Kakoli Banerjee Asst. Professor

School of Biodiversity & Conservation of Natural Resources &

Contact Person EUPHRATES PROJECT

Uniqueness of the region/setting Koraput is a district in the state of Orissa, which is located

in a very remote area about 687km from the capital city of Orissa, i.e.Bhubaneswar. It is located in the border of the two states of Chattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh.

The district has altitude ranging between 300 metres to

1000 metres above mean sea level. It is the beginning of the megadiverse region of Eastern Ghats and has has four main peaks namely:

MALIPARBAT (18°, 37′, 48.43″N and 82°, 54′,

11.87″E): It is situated between 18°, 37′, 48.43″N and 82°, 54′, 11.87″E 1329 m above MSL.

POTANGI: (18° 36’ N, 82° 58’ E) 1415 m above MSL.

DEOMALI (18°40'32"N 82°58'55"E) Deomali Peak, with

an elevation of about 1,672 m, is the highest peak in Orissa and the tallest in the whole of the Eastern Ghats.

PANCHPATMALI (83°1'24"E and 18°51'11"N) 1337

Mtrs above MSI.

LOCATION OF

KORAPUT

The Koraput District lies at 17.4o to 20.7o North latitude and 81.24o degree to 84.2o degree East longitude. NH-26 passes almost inbetween the district connecting three states: A.P, Orissa & Chattisgarh.

Significance of the place Geographically Koraput District located in the backdrop of green valleys

contemplating immaculate freshness, was established on 1st April, 1936. Decorated by forests, waterfalls, terraced valleys and darting springs, the District draws the nature loving people.

Geographical Area :8,379.00 sq.km Area under Forest :1170.59 sq.km (13.97 % ) The climate is cold and dry with 2 dominant seasons winter and rainy with a short

summer of 1-2 months. Max temp reaches 39 to 40oC and min temp 6-7oC. It has two agro-Climatic Zones namely Eastern Ghat High Land (entire Koraput Sub-Division and Kotpad Block) and South-Eastern Ghat Zone (Jeypore, Borigumma, Kundura and Boipariguda blocks).

Area is purely tribal dominated with about 12 tribes comprising of SC’s and ST’s.

Population is thin with 14-15 lakhs. Scheduled Caste :153,932 (13.04%) Scheduled Tribe :585,830 (49.62 %) Population ( 2001 Census) Total :1,180,637 Male :590,743 (50.04%); Female :589,894 (49.96%) Rural :982,188 (83.19%) Urban :198,449 (16.81%)

Contd…. Literacy Total Literate :350,044 (49.87%) Literate Male : 61.29% Literate Female : 38.92% Total Illiterate :830,593 (70.35%) √The emerging Micro, Small & medium Enterprises (MSME) are mainly Agro

and Food processing, engineering, Mineral and Metallurgical. √ The district is adequately endowed with significant mineral deposits like

Bauxite, Black granite, Red orcher, Granite, Quartz, limestone, Dolomite, Clay and Mica etc. It has immense bioresources (flora and fauna) too.

√The development of ancillary and downstream industries of the mother

plants of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Sunabeda, NALCO Damanjodi, Ballarpur Industries Limited, Gaganapur, Jeypore and Toshali Cements Pvt. Limited, Ampavali is prime thrust on industrialization of the district.

√ The district has rich tradition in handicraft and cottage Industries. The

artisans of the district have been crowned with glory of manufacturing best quality of handicraft products. The main crafts of the district are Terracotta, Soft Toys, bamboo handicrafts, Stone carving, Wood carving, Brass and Bell metal, Dhokra casting, Tribal Jewellery , Art Textile and Paddy crafts. Special attention is to be given to this sector for exploring the growth of traditional handicrafts.

The Central University of Orissa was constituted under the Central Universities Act 2009, by the Act of Parliament (No.3C of 2009) of India and came into existence in 2009. It is one of the 15 new Central Universities established by Government of India during the UGC XI Plan period to address the concerns of the Nation in the principles of “equity and access” to quality higher education. It has received the award of “Best Emerging University in Tribal Area” in 2013.

About the University

Mission Central University of Orissa (CUO) holds as its central purpose the intellectual and personal development of its students. Rooted in the reality of community life, and situated in the lush valleys of the Koraput region, Central University of Orissa aspires to bring in outstanding faculty of accomplished teachers to Orissa whose research and creative activity with advance knowledge across many disciplines. Vision Central University of Orissa will be a nationally prominent

research university recognized for the excellence of its faculty and the balance they strike between teaching and scholarship; for its students' engagement in scholarship, leadership, and economically relevant education; for its extensive network of partnerships; for its diverse and inclusive campus; and for its commitment to addressing tribal society's educational, economic, and cultural challenges.

Schools & Centres

School of Social Sciences: Centre for Sociology, Anthropology and Tribal Studies

School of Languages: (a)1.Centre for Oriya, Hindi, and Oriental Languages. (b) Centre for English and Foreign Languages.

School of Basic Sciences & Information Sciences: Centre for Mathematics, Statistics, & Computer Sciences.

School of Development Studies: Centre for Economics School of Education & Education Technology: (a) Centre for Education

Technology (b) Centre for Journalism & Mass Communication School of Biodiversity & Conservation of Natural Resources: Centre for

Biodiversity & Conservation of Natural Resources School of Laws: Centre for Legal Studies Offers UG degree in Mathematics and PG degrees in other subjects. M.Phil &

Ph.D programmes have just started.

Student and Faculty Strength

The students are admitted as per Central Universities Common Entrance Test (CUCET).

There are at present 600 students and about 30 faculties comprising of all centres.

The Vice Chancellor Prof. Surabhi Banerjee is the Academic Head and The Registrar, Prof. A.K. Mishra is the Head of the Institution.

Immense reach of the University

The University publishes newsletters which are distributed to different academic Institutes throughout the country.

The faculties of the University publishes high quality research papers and articles through collaboration with various universities which are evidenced in the books and papers published in Springer, Elsevier and TERI.

Thrust areas of Centre for Biodiversity & Conservation of Natural Resources

Climate change Biodiversity assessment programmes. Innovation in alternative livelihood

programmes like culture of Macrobrachium rosenbergii using floral based feed

Extraction of bioactive compounds from seaweeds of Bhitarkanika mangrove ecosystem and using them into livelihood upgradation of society.

Services to students Various lecture series, seminars, symposia and training

programmes are organised from time to time to update the knowledge base of the students.

Various field visits are organised to have insitu hand on experiments.

Students are motivated for participation in seminars organised at district level.

Internet and library facilities are provided. GIS and statistical softwares are installed for regular

practical classes. Adequate laboratory facilities are provided for

experimentation and development of data bank on water quality, pollution, biodiversity and climate change.

Academic Enrichment of the region to be brought about by this programme

Grey areas of research work can be clearly addressed.

Gap areas will be fulfilled through collaboration.

Joint publication and patents may be developed.

Research quality will be upgraded.

Future Endeavours Development of entrepreneurship skill among

students by imparting hands-on-training on pisciculture, agriculture practice, forest conservation etc.

Rational utilization of natural resources particularly medicinal plants.

Development of research in ethanobotany. Research on mangrove biodiversity in

Bhitarkanika. Biotechnological research on extraction of TAL &

CAL from horse-shoe crabs found in Orissa coast.