Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Bigyan Academy honoured several scientists and researchers for their contributions to science and research at its annual award investiture ceremony for the award year 2024, held at Jayadev Bhawan in Bhubaneswar on Monday.
The ceremony was organised by the Science and Technology Department under the chairpersonship of Odisha Bigyan Academy President Sibani Mohanty.
Science and Technology Minister Krushna Chandra Patra, who also holds the Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare portfolio, attended the programme as the chief guest and conferred the awards on the scientists.
Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary Deoranjan Kumar Singh and Science and Technology Department Additional Chief Secretary and Director General of Gopabandhu Academy of Administration Chithra Arumugam attended as guests of honour.
Five senior scientists from Odisha – Dr Lala Aswini Kumar Singh, Dr Sudhakar Kar, Prof. Rabindra Kumar Panda, Prof. Prafulla Kumar Mohanty and Prof. Bijay Kumar Mishra – were felicitated for their contributions. Each received a memento, citation, and uttariya.
Dr Surendra Kumar Biswal received the Biju Patnaik Award for Scientific Excellence. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 2 lakh, along with a gold-coated silver medallion, memento, certificate, citation and uttariya.
The Samanta Chandra Sekhar Award was conferred on four researchers for their research contributions. Prof. Umakanta Subudhi, Prof. Subhankar Bedanta and Prof. Jagadish Chandra Paul were recognised for their work within the state, while Prof. Raghunath Sahoo received the award for his research contribution outside Odisha. Each awardee received Rs 1 lakh, a gold-coated silver medallion, memento, certificate, citation and uttariya.
Four researchers received the Odisha Young Scientist Award. Dr Chita Ranjan Sahoo, Dr Rudra Majhi and Dr Ram Prasad Padhy were recognised for their research work within the state, while Dr Rabindra Mohanty received the award for his work outside Odisha. Each award carries a cash prize of Rs 25,000, along with a memento, certificate, citation and uttariya.
In the popular science literature category, Prof. Bhagaban Patra and Dr Krutibas Nayak received the Prana Krushna Parija Popular Science Book Award in the general and children’s categories, respectively. Both received Rs 25,000, a memento, certificate, citation, and uttariya.
Anuja Tarini Mishra hosted the programme, while Urmiprava Maharana, Deputy Secretary of the Science and Technology Department, delivered the vote of thanks.
