State-level children’s festival MAHAK-2026 begins at Bhubaneswar Kalinga Stadium
The five-day event brings together young participants from Child Care Institutions across all 30 districts of Odisha.
The five-day State-Level Children’s Festival, ‘MAHAK-2026’, commenced on Sunday at the Practice Ground of Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, according to Pragativadi. The event is organised by the Odisha State Child Protection Society (OSCPS) under the Department of Women and Child Development.
Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida launched the festival by releasing colourful balloons. She addressed the gathering, telling the youth to dream big and explore new horizons while stating that the Government stands with them.
The festival is divided into two segments. The MAHAK segment, running from November 3 to November 4, focuses on arts, dance, music, debate, painting, and quiz competitions. The UTSAH segment will take place from November 5 to November 7 and consists of a three-day sports event.
During the inauguration, the Department of Women and Child Development released the ‘Orphan Survey Report 2025’. The ceremony was attended by Law, Works and Excise Minister Prithviraj Harichandan and Commissioner-cum-Secretary Dr Mrinalini Darswal.
The participants reached the state-level event after winning district-level qualifiers. Winners of the creative competitions will be felicitated in a ceremony on Monday.