The valedictory function of the 17th Odisha Bigyan Congress was held at ITER, Siksha O Anusandhan University under the chairmanship of Prof SP Sahoo. With its focal theme ‘Science and Technology for Human Development,’ it was organised jointly by the Bhubaneswar Chapter of the Indian Science Congress, the SOA University and the Orissa Environmental Society.
Former Vice Chancellor Prof Satyananda Acharya joined as chief guest while Utkal University VC Prof Ashok Kumar Das attended as guest of honour. Among others ISCA Bhubaneswar Chapter convenor JK Panigrahi, co-convenor JR Nayak and PC Dash of ITER were also present.
The guests emphasised on making innovations in scientific research that would bring lasting solutions to the problems of the deprived people of the society. Providing food, potable water and sanitation to them is as important as gene therapy and Mission Mars, they opined.
Eminent scientists like Prof Sudhakar Panda, Director, IoP, Prof KK Basa, Department of Anthropology, Utkal University, Prof Sudarsan Padhy, Director, IMA and Prof AK Rath, former ISRO scientist presented lectures in different sessions. In a panel discussion, panelists Prof MC Dash, Prof BK Partnayak, Prof Niranjan Barik, Dr CR Mishra and Prof PK Mohanty discussed on ‘Scientific research in India: Progress and prospects’. Several research scholars made oral and poster presentations of their scientific papers in the technical sessions.
Earlier, six senior scientists and academics, Prof BK Patnayak, Prof Bhaskar Dash, Prof CS Sarangi, Prof G Das, Prof S Torasia and Prof SN Patro were felicitated in the inaugural function for their lifetime contributions to the fields of science and technology. Over 500 scientists, academics, researchers and students from different parts attended.