Odisha’s ornaments are the sensitivity and smile of its people, says governor Ganeshi Lal

BHUBANESWAR: Odisha governor Ganeshi Lal speaks on Odisha, its policies, education, culture and more. Excerpts:
On the Odisha experience...
I had a very different and dismal picture in my mind before taking over as governor, though I had visited the state twice. But it was completely wrong. It’s a land of beauty, love and peace. Sensitivity and smile of its people are Odisha’s ornaments. The spirit of Odisha is one that never gets defeated. Even if a Chandashok defeats it in the battleground, the state has the power to transform him to Dharmashok. The same spirit continues even today. It is holistic and inclusive.
On Odisha as an emerging education hub...
It is already a hub and on the path of further prosperity. There are so many institutions attracting students from across the country and the world. Since the other fundamentals are strong, the state will march ahead. Its ambience and ecosystem are positive. Utkal University of Culture is unique in India while the tribal university (KISS) is unique in the entire world.
On the country’s education system...
There should be more focus on primary education. The government spending should be 4:1 on primary education versus the rest. If good primary education is imparted, rest will fall in line automatically. It’s like investing more on foundation than on beautification of a house.
On in-person learning versus digital education...
For small schoolchildren, in-person teaching is more important. Physical interaction is vital. No digital tool can substitute that. As students grow up in age, digital tools can be of immense help. It can reduce cost and increase access.
On how to bridge the digital divide as the poor cannot afford smartphones and laptops...
Efforts are already on. In Odisha, teachers are going to the homes of students. Over 40 crore people in the country have Jan Dhan accounts. Every family would like to spend some money on children’s education. While they will try to pull in whatever they can afford, the governments at the Centre and state can support them through these accounts.
On the Indian examination system where memorising is given more importance...
That is changing. Now, many examinations are giving importance to analytical and problem-solving skills. Things are improving. The new education policy will change this further.
On the impact of Covid on education...
Evidences are gradually emerging that coronavirus is man-made. It’s not nature’s gift. It’s a mischief by some persons of a particular country who probably want to make everybody else their slaves and establish their supremacy. Most of the countries have isolated the country that did it. Politics of murder never succeeds. Ultimately, the person who did the mischief will suffer. The world has learnt to deal with it. We have become conditioned. After vaccination, this disease will fade. Life will be back on track, so will education.
On whether he is hinting at China..
It’s an open secret. I don’t need to name it.
On his advice for students?
Too much career planning coming from friends and family is bad. Students must be encouraged to be their natural self so that they can innovate. We often make the mistake of telling children to be like someone else (a more successful person). That should not be the approach. No two persons can be the same. We must stop telling students that they are future citizens of the country. Nobody has seen the future. We must tell them that today is the day. They must do whatever they should, now.
On Odisha’s stable government...
As far as my government is concerned, it’s federal in character and unitary in spirit. The state government here and the Centre are not at loggerheads with each other. We love them and they love us. We admire them and they admire us. We adopt the policies of the central government. We never clash with them. However, for uplifting the masses of this state, we have also introduced certain policies and schemes such as Kalia (cash transfer scheme for farmers) and Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (health assurance scheme), which are different from the Centre.
On the Centre-state relationship...
When the Prime Minister had come to assess the damage caused by Cyclone Yaas, chief minister Naveen Patnaik was so nice when he spoke to him. He said he would not burden the PM by demanding funds when the country is fighting the pandemic. The CM did not ask for a penny. But the Prime Minister gave Rs 500 crore to ensure that the people of Odisha are comfortable.