"We need the past because it never dies. It represents the cumulative store of human experience that sustains wisdom," Patnaik said while inaugurating the 74th session of the Indian History Congress (IHC) here.
Emphasising that history never stayed in the past, he said it instead engaged us at every twist and turn in our modern search for the future.
Hailing the contributions of IHC, Patnaik said this body of distinguished academicians guided people and governments by sharing the common memory of Indian society, its core values and the decisions of the past which account for our present circumstances.
Earlier, eminent historian Prof Indu Banga was elected the general president of the IHC session after her name was proposed by Prof Romila Thapar and seconded by Prof Irfan Habib.
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While local secretary Prof Chandi Prasad Nanda made the introductory remarks, Ravenshaw University Vice-Chancellor Prof BC Tripathy delivered the welcome address.