BHUBANESWAR: Former director of National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER) Prof Sudhakar Panda was conferred ‘Biju Patnaik Award for Scientific Excellence’ at a special event organised by Odisha Bigyan Academy (OBA) here on Friday.
Minister for Science and Technology Ashok Chandra Panda presented the award that carries Rs 2 lakh cash along with citation and memento to Prof Panda. Known for his research in the areas of string theory, cosmology, finite temperature field theory, conformal field theory, gravity and supergravity, and neutrino physics, Prof Panda was director of NISER for five years.
On the occasion, director of National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow Saroj Kanta Barik, chief scientist of IMMT, Bhubaneswar Dr Danda Srinivas Rao, Prof Luna Samanta of Ravenshaw University and Prof Anup Kumar Panda of NIT, Rourkela were conferred ‘Samanta Chandrasekhar Award’ that carries Rs 1 lakh cash, citation and a memento.
Similarly, Dr Shasank Sekhar Swain of RMRC, Bhubaneswar, Nibedita Dash of NISER, Jnana Ranjan Senapati of NIT, Rourkela and Satyaprasad Senanayak of NISER were presented ‘Young Scientists’ award while Prof Sangeeta Rath and Himansu Sekahar Fatesingh received ‘Prana Krushna Parija Popular Science Book Award’.
The young scientists and the authors received a cash award of Rs 25,000 along with citation and memento. Prof Bhaskar Dash, Sanjukta Dash, Prof Satyananda Swain and Prof Ajay Kumar Patra were felicitated as senior scientists. Addressing the gathering, the minister said the academy will accelerate its activities in training of teachers, research and development besides the science education for students. The department has also been undertaking various result-oriented initiatives in the field of innovation, start-up and improvement of Biotechnology eco-system, he said.
Principal secretary of Science and Technology Department Chithra Arumugam advised the academy to release audio versions of its publications for the benefit of special students. The programme was presided by OBA president Bibhuti Bhusan Mishra.