BHUBANESWAR: The birth anniversary of renowned astronomer Mahamahopadhyay Chandrasekhar Singh Samanta (Pathani Samanta) should be universally observed on December 13, former director of the Pathani Samanta Planetorium in Bhubaneswar Subhendu Patnaik said.
Addressing the 190th birth anniversary celebration of Pathani Samanta at SOA University here, Patnaik said the birth anniversary of the great astronomer, who could measure the distance between celestial bodies using a simple bamboo pipe and traditional instruments, is being observed on different days at present which is not correct. “It should be universally observed on December 13,” he said.
Patnaik said Pathani Samanta after studying the planets for 10 years could identify errors in the lunar calendar and wrote his findings in his astronomical treatise ‘Siddhant Darpan’.
SOA University vice-chancellor Pradipta Kumar Nanda said the astronomer who had no formal education was taught Sanskrit, mathematics and astronomy by his father. “He never studied in a university but achieved great things,” Nanda said.
SOA officials said as Pathani Samanta came from the princely family of Khandapada, Siddhartha Sekhar Singh Mardaraj, former legislator and a scion of the family, had observed the birth anniversary of the astronomer two years ago at Khandapada in association with the University. Mardaraj thanked the university for taking up the cause of astronomy and highlighting the achievements of Samanta.