BJD supremo and Odisha’s Leader of Opposition, Naveen Patnaik, has written to Union Minister of Science and Technology, Jitendra Singh, urging the continuation of the prestigious UNESCO Kalinga Prize, a significant international award in the field of science.
In the letter dated August 12, 2024, Patnaik expressed deep concern over the reported decision of the Ministry of Science & Technology to cease support for the prize.
The UNESCO Kalinga Prize, established in 1952 by the legendary Biju Patnaik, has been awarded to 72 eminent scientists, including seven Nobel laureates such as Louis de Broglie, Bertrand Russell, and Arthur C. Clarke.
The prize, which originated from a generous grant of 1000 pounds by the Kalinga Foundation Trust, remains the only international award from India in the field of the popularization of science.
In his letter, Patnaik emphasized the significance of the award, not only for its contribution to science but also as a symbol of Odia identity.
“The ‘Kalinga Prize’ is not just a symbol of ‘Odia pride’ but it had set a legacy for independent India in the comity of nations globally,” he wrote.
He further highlighted the vision and determination of his father, Biju Patnaik, who, at the young age of 36, traveled to Paris to negotiate with UNESCO and establish this prestigious prize.
Patnaik also recalled that after 50 years of the prize’s successful completion, the Government of India, under the leadership of the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, decided in 2002 that the Department of Science and Technology, the Government of Odisha, and the Kalinga Foundation Trust would jointly fund the prize in a 6:4:4 ratio.
However, Patnaik expressed his dismay over the recent decision by the Ministry to withdraw its support.
“I am now pained to learn that the Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India has decided to stop supporting this Prize,” he siad, adding that such a move would undermine the legacy that Biju Patnaik had envisioned for India and Odisha.