FULL RECOVERY FROM LEARNING LOSS A lot has changed since the pandemic impacted school education, according to ASER 2024, released on Tuesday. Here are some of the major findings: Rise in govt school enrolment seen during pandemic reversed Proportion of 6-14 yearolds enrolled in govt schools down from 72.9% in 2022 to 66.8% in 2024 SAMBALPUR  WEDNESDAY  JANUARY 29, 2025  `9.00  PAGES 16  CITY EDITION Pandemic-induced learning loss is history Proportion of kids in Class III able to read at Class II level up from 20.5% in 2022 to 27.1% in 2024 14-16 years use 76% Children aged for social media smartphones CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOGGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI YAHI SAMAY HAI, SAHI SAMAY HAI: PM MODI BATS FOR ODISHA It is Modi’s guarantee, investing in Odisha will assure success, says PM EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Bhubaneswar Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi presents a memento to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during inauguration of Utkarsh Odisha Conclave in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday ASSERTING his full backing to Odisha in its journey towards fast-paced economic growth and development, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said this was the right time to invest in the state. “Yahi Samay Hai, Sahi Samay Hai (this is the time, the right time). Your investment in this development journey of Odisha will take you to new heights of success. This is Modi’s guarantee,” he said urging investors to explore the vast potential of the state across sectors. Inaugurating the Utkarsh Odisha: Make-in-Odisha Conclave 2025 here, Modi reaffirmed his love for the state and his commitment to its progress and prosperity. “As prime minister, I have come here for around 30 times. I have visited Odisha more times than all the prime ministers combined. I have gone to most of the districts in the state. This is due to the love and affection of the people. I have faith in the potential of Odisha, I have faith in the people here,” he said. Praising Chief Minister Mo- han Charan Majhi and his government for their efforts in accelerating Odisha’s development, he said the state will soon reach unprecedented heights. Hailing the people of the state, he said they not only share the AI (Aspiration of India) but also have shown a passion to outperform. “I have personally experienced the skills, hard work and sincerity of the friends from Odisha in Gujarat. I firmly believe Odisha will soon reach the heights of development that no one has imagined,” he said. CONTINUED ON P3 Utkarsh intent: State gets `4.5Lcr investment proposals on Day 1 HEMANT KUMAR ROUT @ Bhubaneswar ODISHA on Tuesday presented an impressive business pitch to Indian and global investors attracting over `4.5 lakh crore investment intents on the Day-1 of Utkarsh Odisha: Make-inOdisha Conclave 2025. Chief Minister Mohan Majhi said Odisha is poised to become a major industrial hub of the country as it has received investment proposals three times more than its initial expectations. From history to AI, a stage for diverse perspectives E X P R E S S N E W S S E R V I C E @ Chennai INCISIVE discussions on education, culture, and governance captivated audience as scholars articulated their vision on the second day of the 13th edition of the ThinkEdu Conclave 2025 hosted by The New Indian Express in Chennai. With focus on history, technology, morality, and skilling, speakers addressed India’s pressing challenges and opportunities at the event, presented by SASTRA University, on Tuesday . Economist Sanjeev Sanyal opened the day by revisiting ‘Lost History,’ highlighting neglected revolutionaries like Mewa Singh Lopoke and VVS Aiyar. He argued for rewriting the ‘biased colonial narratives’. Author Vikram Sanjeev Sanyal, member EAC to PM Sampath expanded on this, examining polarising figures like Tipu Sultan and Veer Savarkar and calling for diverse perspectives in decoding history. BJP state president K Annamalai advocated for restoring Tamil Nadu’s cultural and economic strength, spelling out strate- 13 DEVIS HONOURED gies and solutions for the state’s environmental and educational challenges. While Telangana Deputy CM Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka underscored the need for cooperative governance, Bihar Governor Arif Mohammed Khan called for an education system rooted in morality and liberation. Kar nataka Minister Priyank Kharge addressed India’s skilling crisis, outlining Karnataka’s initiatives in areas like semiconductor and AI. Tanuj Bhojwani and Professor Venkatesh Balasubramanian spoke about India’s potential as a global AI leader while addressing ethical and societal challenges. Historian Anirudh Kanisetti traced the Chola Empire’s legacy of cultural integration, demonstrating India’s enduring CONTINUED ON P7 diversity . MORE REPORTS: P4, P5 “It has been possible after Prime Minister Narendra Modi encouraged investors to capitalise on Odisha’s potential. The state had initially anticipated investments worth `5 lakh crore, but the proposals received so far will exceed the target and the investment intents would be three-fold,” he said. Positioned as a gateway to Southeast Asia, Odisha is leveraging its historical trade ties with ASEAN countries to strengthen investments in manufacturing, technology, and blue economy CONTINUED ON P3 . (From top left) Vishnuvardhan (Film Director who received the award on behalf of his wife Anu Vardhan), G Brinda(Choreographer and director), Arundhathi Subramaniam (Poet and Author); (2nd row) Omana Thomas (Educator), Rajavalli Presents Rajiv (Entrepreneur), Suchithra Balasubramanian (Harikatha Exponent), Khatija Rahman (Musician), Sudha Ragunathan (Carnatic vocalist), Jerlin Anika (Arjuna Awardee); (3rd row) Chitra Visweswaran (Danseuse), Preethi DEVI AWARDS Srinivasan (co-founder, Soulfree), Dr Sudha Seshayyan (director, SASTRA University, Chennai). Prabhu Chawla (Editorial Director of TNIE), Lakshmi Menon (CEO of TNIE) and Santwana Bhattacharya (Editor of TNIE) are also seen | P6 WOMEN’S AWARDS FOR DYNAMISM & INNOVATION PHOTO: P JAWAHAR