Odisha: Power snagged during  India's President Droupadi Murmu’s address at the twelfth convocation of the Maharaja Shri Ramchandra Bhanjadeo University (MSCB University),  in Odisha's Baripada on Saturday, May 7, plunging the venue into darkness.

The high-security programme ran into trouble from 11.56 to 12.05. It happened only a few minutes into Murmu's address, but she still spoke because the venue's microphone equipment was unharmed.

The HVAC system operated normally as well. Despite nothing being seen, the entire audience waited patiently to hear Murmu declare that power is like "playing hide and seek."

It is pertinent to note that the president, who hails from Rairangpur in Mayurbhanj district of Odisha, is considered the daughter of the soil.

Tata Power, North Odisha Power Distribution company CEO Bhaskar Sarkar said that there was no distribution disruption in the hall and the glitch was, may be,  due to some defects in the electrical wiring.

President Murmu's speech was interrupted by a power outage, which was regretted and apologised for by Santosh Kumar Tripathy, vice chancellor of the university. "I sincerely apologise and take full responsibility for the regrettable event. We feel bad about the power outage. The event will undoubtedly be looked into, and those responsible for it will face punishment, the VC assured reporters.

He said that the generator for the occasion had been provided by the state-owned Industrial Development Corporation Limited. "We shall inquire as to the cause of the power outage.

Brief About MSCB University: The Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanja Deo University,  formerly North Orissa University was established by the Government of Orissa, under Section 32 of the Odisha University Act, 1989.   It was carved out of the Utkal University and became operational in 1999 at Takatpur of Baripada in the Mayurbhanj District of Odisha as an affiliating university. 

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