President of India Smt Droupadi Murmu visited Odisha's steel city Rourkela in Sundargarh district on April 21, 2026 and inaugurated four major projects at a public function held at Sector 13. The President arrived at Veer Surendra Sai Airport in Jharsuguda around 10:25 a.m. and was flown to Rourkela by helicopter for the day-long programme. She formally opened the Planetarium and Science Centre, the Tribal Museum, the Nirmal Munda Parivesh Path commemorative pathway honouring the freedom fighter associated with the Gangpur tribal revenue and Khuntkatti-rights agitation of 1939, and the Integrated Command and Control Centre that will run as the digital nerve centre of the Rourkela Smart City Mission. Addressing the gathering, the President said the nation is rapidly marching towards becoming Viksit Bharat by the centenary year of independence in 2047, and reminded the audience that 2036 will mark one hundred years since the formation of the state of Odisha. She underlined that to build a Viksit Odisha and a Viksit Bharat, all-round development and the participation of people from every section of society are essential. The President paid tribute to the tribal leaders of Sundargarh, calling the district a custodian of India's tribal heritage. The visit, which was her maiden trip to Rourkela, also marked the symbolic recognition of Sundargarh's role in tribal welfare, sports development and steel manufacturing in eastern India.
President Droupadi Murmu Inaugurates Planetarium and Science Centre, Tribal Museum and Nirmal Munda Parivesh Path at Rourkela on April 21, 2026
President Droupadi Murmu, on her maiden visit to Rourkela on April 21, 2026, inaugurated the Planetarium and Science Centre, Tribal Museum, Nirmal Munda Parivesh Path and Integrated Command and Control Centre. She underlined the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision and said Odisha's 2036 state-formation centenary must be marked by all-round development and inclusive participation.
Key facts
- President Droupadi Murmu visited Rourkela in Odisha's Sundargarh district on April 21, 2026 — her maiden trip to the steel city.
- She inaugurated four projects at a public function in Sector 13: the Planetarium and Science Centre, the Tribal Museum, the Nirmal Munda Parivesh Path and the Integrated Command and Control Centre.
- The Nirmal Munda Parivesh Path commemorates the tribal freedom fighter who led the Bhuyans against British rule in 1868.
- The Integrated Command and Control Centre will operate as the digital backbone of the Rourkela Smart City Mission.
- In her address the President invoked the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision and noted that 2036 will mark the centenary of the formation of the state of Odisha.
- She paid tribute to the tribal leaders of Sundargarh and described the district as a custodian of India's tribal heritage.
- The visit symbolised Sundargarh's contribution to tribal welfare, sports development and steel manufacturing in eastern India.
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Practice MCQ from this story
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With reference to President Droupadi Murmu's visit to Rourkela on April 21, 2026, consider the following statements: 1. The President inaugurated the Integrated Command and Control Centre that will operate as the digital backbone of the Rourkela Smart City Mission. 2. The Nirmal Munda Parivesh Path commemorates a tribal freedom fighter who led the Bhuyans against British rule in 1868. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Only statement 1 is correct. As per the official PIB release of April 21, 2026, the President inaugurated the Integrated Command and Control Centre that serves as the digital nerve centre of the Rourkela Smart City Mission. Statement 2 is incorrect: Nirmal Munda (1893 to 2 January 1973) was the leader of the Munda agitation of 1937 to 1939 in the former Gangpur state, so he could not have led the Bhuyans against British rule in 1868 — that claim is chronologically impossible and conflates separate Odisha tribal history.
Source: Press Information Bureau
Frequently asked questions
Who inaugurated the Planetarium and Science Centre at Rourkela on April 21, 2026?
President of India Smt Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the Planetarium and Science Centre, the Tribal Museum, the Nirmal Munda Parivesh Path and the Integrated Command and Control Centre at Rourkela in Sundargarh district of Odisha on April 21, 2026.
After whom is the Nirmal Munda Parivesh Path named?
The pathway is named after Nirmal Munda, the tribal freedom fighter associated with the Gangpur tribal revenue and Khuntkatti-rights agitation of 1939. The commemorative path was opened by President Murmu on April 21, 2026.
What did President Murmu say about Odisha's development trajectory?
The President said the nation is rapidly marching towards Viksit Bharat by 2047 and reminded the audience that 2036 will mark the centenary of the formation of the state of Odisha. She said building a Viksit Odisha and Viksit Bharat will require all-round development and the participation of people from every section of society.
Which Smart City Mission did the new Integrated Command and Control Centre support?
The new Integrated Command and Control Centre at Rourkela will operate as the digital nerve centre of the Rourkela Smart City Mission, supporting integrated urban services, surveillance, traffic management and emergency response.
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