Utkal University

Utkal University (UU) is a public university in Bhubaneswar, Khordha, Odisha, and is the oldest university in the state, and the 17th-oldest university in India.^[4] The university was established in 1943 and was operating from Ravenshaw College in the early days.

Utkal University

Motto	Satyam param dhīmahi
Motto in English	Seek The Highest Truth
Type	Public
Established	27 November 1943; 81 years ago (27 November 1943)
Accreditation	NAAC
Academic affiliations	UGC AIU AICTE PCI
Chancellor	Governor of Odisha
Vice-Chancellor	Sabita Acharya[1]
Academic staff	187[2]
Students	4,334[2]
Undergraduates	249[2]
Postgraduates	3,840[2]
Doctoral students	245[2]
Address	Vani Vihar , Bhubaneshwar , Odisha , 751004 , India 20°18′14″N 85°50′23″E
Campus	Urban 399.9 acres (161.8 ha)
Language	English, Odia
Website	utkaluniversity.ac.in

University rankings
General – India
NIRF (Universities) (2024)[3]	101-150

The foundation stone of the current Utkal University campus at Vani Vihar, Bhubaneswar, was laid by Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India, on 1 January 1958. The campus was inaugurated by Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, the second President of India, on 2 January 1963.^[5][6]

It is a teaching-cum-affiliating university. The sprawling 399.9 acre campus at Vani Vihar is located in the heart of Bhubaneswar.

In 2016, Utkal University adopted its theme song from "tunga sikhar chula" (1st 3 stanzas) poem of Godabarish Mishra, one of its founder members.^[7]

Utkal University Main Gate

Location

Baidyanath Misra, the head of the department of Analytical & Applied Economics, instituted two academic chairs, funded by the Reserve Bank of India and the State Bank of India at the university.^[8] University Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Department of Pharmacy)^[9]

Department of Computer Science and Application

Parija Library

Rankings

Utkal University was ranked in the 101-150 band among universities by National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) in 2024.^[10]

Accreditation

Utkal University was accredited A+ grade with CGPA of 3.26 on a 7-point scale National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC)^[11] in the third assessment cycle.^[12]

Notable alumni

• Shakuntala Baliarsingh (born 1948) Odia language writer and translator
• Manjusri Misra, chemical engineer and research professor
• Sangita Mukhopadhyay, Molecular cell biologist, N-Bios laureate^[13]
• Droupadi Murmu, 15th President of India, and the first person belonging to a tribal community and also the second woman to hold the office.
• G. C. Murmu, former Comptroller and Auditor General of India and former Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir
• Ramesh C. Ray, agriculture and food microbiologist.