Bhubaneswar: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has approved the renaming of Kalahandi University at Bhawanipatna as Maa Manikeshwari University, named after the presiding deity of Kalahandi district.
The approval, which had been pending since 2023, clears a major administrative hurdle that had left students facing difficulties in receiving proper certificates for nearly five years. With the UGC’s nod, the university will now be able to issue certificates under its updated name.
The renaming proposal was initiated by the Government of Odisha in 2023. The matter reportedly gained momentum after Sachidananda Mohanty visited the university last year and learned about the issue directly from the Vice-Chancellor. He subsequently intervened to facilitate approval at the appropriate level.
The institution was originally established as a unitary university in March 2019 and later upgraded to an affiliating university in September 2019, expanding its academic and administrative scope.
Officials say the renaming recognises the cultural and religious significance of Maa Manikeshwari, a revered deity in the Kalahandi region, while also resolving long-pending administrative challenges faced by students.
-OdishaAge
