This refers to Sugyan Choudhury’s report on his chat with Prof Prafulla Kumar Jena published in The Pioneer of November 4.
I was a junior scientist in 1972 when Prof Jena became Director of the Regional Research laboratory (RRl) now renamed the Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology (IMMT), Bhubaneswar. He was my super boss and PhD guide. I had interaction with him both in and out of office up to 1996.
Prof Jena was a workaholic and teetotaler and possessed vast knowledge in many areas of research. Besides metallurgy, rural development was very high in his priorities and he encouraged Dr JS Murty and Mr SN Kuntia, scientists, who headed the Rural Technology Department one after the other and brought laurels to RRl, CSIR and the State of Odisha.
Prof Jena was instrumental in bringing the Prime Minister twice (1977 and 1981) to the RRl. I am indeed beholden that he sent five proposals to the present dynamic Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Prof Jena is a Karma Yogi. Age sits lightly on him. I take this opportunity to pay him my respectful regards and wish him serve Mother India for many years to come.