JAGATSINGHPUR: Two sons of Jagatsinghpur district who began their academic journeys in government primary schools have brought national and international acclaim to Odisha, with one being appointed to head a key missile and strategic systems cluster of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the other earning a place among the world’s top five per cent scientists in the SciRank Global Registry.
Arakhakuda village is celebrating the appointment of defence scientist Jagannath Nayak as Director General of DRDO’s Missiles and Strategic Systems Cluster. A veteran with over 35 years of experience in defence research and development, Nayak has made significant contributions to India’s indigenous missile and strategic defence programmes.
He played a key role in the development, testing and technology transfer of India’s first Directed Energy Weapon system at the Centre for High Energy Systems and Sciences (CHESS), Hyderabad. As project director at the Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad, he also spearheaded the development of indigenous Fibre Optic Gyroscope technology, now deployed in Indian missiles, aircraft and main battle tanks.
Nayak studied at Rohia Primary School before pursuing higher education at SVM College, Jagatsinghpur, and Ravenshaw College, Cuttack. He later obtained his ME and PhD in Electrical Communication Engineering from the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru.
His distinguished career has earned him several honours, including the Aryabhata Award of the Astronautical Society of India, the Swarna Jayanti Award and National Aeronautical Award of the Aeronautical Society of India, the DRDO Agni Award for Excellence in Self-Reliance and the Nina Saxena Excellence in Technology Award.
Meanwhile, Chakuliapada village under Jamugaon gram panchayat is basking in the global recognition earned by Ashish Routray, who has been named among the World’s Top 5 per cent scientists in the SciRank Global Registry.
Currently scientist and data strategist at the National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF) under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Routray specialises in data assimilation, numerical weather prediction and extreme weather modelling.
His research focuses on the application of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in weather forecasting, including the use of advanced models such as XGBoost to improve deterministic forecasts of maximum and minimum temperatures across India. His high-impact publications and academic citation record earned him a place in the prestigious registry, recognising his contribution to global meteorological and climate research.
“From humble village classrooms to the frontiers of defence and climate science, their achievements have become a source of immense pride for Jagatsinghpur and Odisha,” said Chandrakant Nayak, younger brother of Jagannath Nayak.
“My elder brother’s dedication to India’s defence research and his contribution to indigenous technological advancement continue to inspire young minds,” he added.