Students of the Odia Department of Balugaon College completed a heritage internship focused on the Kankanashikhari sanctuary under the academic guidance of Dr. Susant Kumar Sahoo.
Bridging Classroom and Field
The internship programme was designed to bridge the gap between classroom-based learning about Odia literature, history, and culture, and direct experiential engagement with living heritage sites. Students participated in:
- Field documentation of temple inscriptions and architectural features
- Recording oral histories from local temple priests and village elders
- Mapping the geographical coordinates of heritage sites around Chilika
- Cataloguing newspaper reports and photographic evidence of cultural events
- Physical conservation activities including site cleaning and pathway maintenance
Academic Recognition
The programme was formally recognized by the college through an official authorization letter from the Principal and Head of the Odia Department. This ensures that the internship carries academic credit and is documented in students’ educational records.
Dr. Sahoo’s Educational Philosophy
“When students experience heritage directly, research becomes living knowledge.”
This statement encapsulates Dr. Sahoo’s approach to heritage education. Rather than treating history and culture as subjects confined to textbooks and examination papers, his model brings students into direct contact with the sites, traditions, communities, and documents that constitute living heritage.
The Balugaon College internship demonstrates that heritage research is not an exclusive domain of professional academics. It is an activity that can meaningfully engage undergraduate students, giving them practical research skills while deepening their connection to their own cultural identity.
