One Lakh Annual Chemistry Award Announced at 26th Odisha Science and Environment Congress at KIIT

Bhubaneswar, swa news :The 26th Odisha Science and Environment Congress and the first International Conference on ‘Science and Technology Innovation for Sustainable Green Frontiers (SGF-2025)’ were inaugurated at KIIT on Friday.

Inaugurating the Congress, the Founder of KIIT and KISS Dr Achyuta Samanta announced a new Rs 1 lakh annual award by KIIT to honour a distinguished chemist each year for their lifetime contribution to the field of Chemistry.

Jointly organised by the Odisha Environment Society and KIIT University, the conference, concluding on Nov 30, aims to explore how science and technology can be effectively applied to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The theme, Science and Technology Innovation, sets the tone for discussions centred on sustainable solutions and green frontiers.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by several eminent dignitaries, including Dr. Arun Kumar Rath, former Secretary to the Government of India; Prof. T. K. Bastia, Director General (ECS), DRDO Bengaluru; Prof. S. N. Kundu, Coordinator, Odisha Environment Society; Jayakrishna Panigrahi, President of OES; and Prof. Saranjit Singh, Vice Chancellor, KIIT Deemed to be University.

The event drew participation from more than 450 delegates from within and outside Odisha, reflecting its growing prominence in scientific and environmental discourse.

During the sessions, speakers highlighted the evolution and importance of the SDGs from 2016 to 2030, stressing the pivotal role of science and technology in meeting global sustainability targets.

As part of the inaugural programme, several scientists were felicitated for their exceptional contributions. They are Professor Lambdar Prasad Singh, physicist; Padma Shri Professor Aditya Prasad Dash, biologist; Professor Vinod Chandra Chowdhury, environmental scientist and Dr. Vinay Kumar Das, mechanical scientist.

Additionally, Dr. Jayakrishna Panigrahi was honoured for his 15 years of dedicated service as the convener of the Odisha Science and Environment Congress.