A huge controversy has erupted in the Indian state of Odisha over the inclusion of the famous Bollywood song “Namboda Namboda” in the eighth grade textbook. After the pages of the book went viral on social media, parents, teachers and educationists have questioned the preparation of the curriculum and demanded an explanation from the authorities.

According to Indian media reports, a chapter of the eighth grade art education book “Kirti” prepared under the National Education Policy 2020 has published the full lyrics of the popular song “Namboda, Namboda” from the 1999 Bollywood film “Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam”. Interestingly, the song is presented in the book as a Rajasthani folk song, even though it was filmed on actresses Aishwarya Rai and Salman Khan in the film.

According to reports, not only this, but the famous song “Rind Posh Mal” from the film “Mission Kashmir” has also been made a part of the same textbook. After the matter came to light, users on social media questioned why Bollywood film songs were included in the curriculum instead of promoting local folk heritage in a culturally rich state like Odisha.

The controversy intensified when it was also revealed that there were a total of 1,678 errors in the new textbooks. After this revelation, the state government faced severe criticism.

Taking immediate notice of the seriousness of the situation, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Manjhi and Education Minister Nityanand Gond suspended senior officers of the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), while a formal investigation was also ordered against six more officers.

The state government has set up a special investigation committee to avoid such lapses in the future. The committee has also recommended setting up a “Quality Assurance Cell” for an effective system of checking textbooks so that such mistakes can be prevented in the preparation of future educational materials.