President: Dr Laxmi Narayan Bhuyan

Vice President: Dr Nivedita Mohanty

Secretary/Treasurer: Hari Arjun Patro

Editor: Dr Bigyani Das

Dear Friends

It is our great pleasure to welcome you all to the homepage of Utkarsa, OSA's quarterly newsletter. We constantly check on things that we love most. The basic goal of this checking is to make it faultless and present it with perfection. Some of the Utkarsa lovers have a desire to present Utkarsa with the perfect grace in the printed souvenir form. However, this is just a proposal. The successful implementation of this proposal completely depends on your help and support. Specifically, the printing and distribution of Utkarsa will not be possible without your financial help. The current financial state of OSA will not be able to bear the total expense. If you feel this is a worthy cause to contribute, please contact Hari Arjun Patro, OSA's treasurer before October 1, 2004. Accordingly, we would prepare ourselves for the next issue of Utkarsa. We hope generous members would avail this opportunity and support us in bringing out the best look in Utkarsa.

Olympics games were arranged in Athens, Greece in expense of millions and millions of dollars. This money could have been spent on improving the conditions of millions of people in under-developed countries. However, arts, literature and sports do have their own special importance comparable to the basic necessities such as food, cloths and shelter. Accordingly, we do feel for the need of a winter OSA publication in the printed form along with its annual souvenir publication in summer. Although Utkarsa publication in electronic newsletter form is cheaper and easier, however, printed version does have its own merit. The above are just our thoughts. We will accept the views of the majority.

Thanks - Bigyani Das, Editor

OSA Theme of the Quarter: Let Us Dream Together  

Member Opinion:  Do you have a question? Do you have suggestions? Do you have any comments/concerns on the functioning of OSA? Please contact OSA National Officers. Thank you.

Join OSA:  Be a part of OSA and help this foundation.

OSA Newsletter Distribution: We plan to bring out the best look in Utkarsa's winter issue and distribute to all OSA members by US mail. However, to bear the expense, we need support (tan-physical, man-mental, dhan-monetary) from members. We would appreciate your monetary contribution for this cause. If you like Utkarsa and would like to support its wide distribution, please send your contribution to OSA treasurer Hari Arjun Patro and write "Utkarsa" in memo. 

Errors in the Newsletter: Nobody is perfect. There might be errors in the contents of this newsletter. If you trace any error, please let us know at bigyanidas@orissasociety.org. Thanks.

Errors in OSA 2004 Directory: Irrespective of our best attempts, OSA 2004 directory still has many errors. We are in the process of making corrections. We need the cooperation of members in this regard. If you have moved, please send your updated address to the OSA membership committee or OSA treasurer Hari Arjun Patro. Thank you.

Are you in OSA mailing list? It has come to our attention that some members do not get any OSA announcements. If you are a member and you don't get any announcements, please contact Dr Joy Gopal Mohanty (jgmohanty@yahoo.com). If you know some members who do not get OSA announcements through email, please inform them to contact Dr Joy Gopal Mohanty.

Upcoming Events of Interest: 

Chapter Events: Washington DC chapter will celebrate Ganesh Puja on September 19.  Check chapter news for chapter related information.

Oriya Festivals in August, September, and October: Raksha Bandhan (August 30), Guru Dibas (September 5), Janmastami (September 6), Ganesh Puja (September 18), Dashahara (October 23), Kumar Purnima (October 28).

OSA Convention 2004 Photos: OSA Convention 2004 photos are available at http://www.osa2004.org.

OSA Convention 2005: OSA Convention will be held in Anheim, California, during July 4th weekend. The information will be soon available. Stay tuned. 

Utkarsa will be published quarterly. Current issue: No 5 - August 2004 Publication - (PDF Version-2.8 MB). 

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Questions, comments, corrections, suggestions:  bigyanidas@orissasociety.org

Note: Next issue of Utkarsa will be published on December 15, 2004. Articles for this publication should reach the editorial staff before December 1, 2004.

Acknowledgements: Review comments and suggestions of Dr Sikhanda Satapathy, Dr Sitakantha Dash, Dr Birendra Jena, Dr Rabi N. Mahapatra and Mrs Mamata Misra are appreciated. Thanks to all the contributors for this issue (the authors as well as people in the background who provided pictures and encouragement) without which this issue would not have become possible in its present form. Special thanks to Tapan Padhi for providing seminar related information.