Bhubaneswar, Nov. 25: “The earth has been facing myriad problems and challenges, but the answers lay in science and technology and its future applications”, said Surya Narayan Patra, Odisha Assembly Speaker.

“Science has been playing a vital role in all frontiers of development and the nations which have delved into science and technology and pursued innovations have marched ahead of others,” Mr. Patra added while addressing the inaugural function of the 2-day Odisha Bigyan ‘O’ Paribesh Congress held at the SOA Deemed to be University here on Saturday.

The program was organized by Odisha Environmental Society (OES) in collaboration with SOA unversity.

The speakers agreed that the humankind had faced a variety of challenges with due course of time and needs to face them and to seek solutions to them and stand as a global community.

Prof. Sunil Kumar Sarangi, former Director of NIT, Rourkela, Dr. Sanghamitra Pati, Director of the Regional Medical Research Centre, Bhubaneswar, Prof. P.K.Nanda, SOA’s Dean (Research and Development), Dr. S.N.Patro, President of OES, Dr. J.K.Panigrahi, Convenor of the Congress and Dr. P.G.R. Achari, Organising Secretary of the conference addressed the meeting which was presided over by the SOA Vice-Chancellor Prof. Amit Banerjee.

Four eminent scientists, including the SOA Vice-Chancellor Prof. Banerjee, were felicitated on the occasion for their life-time contribution in the field of science. The other three scientists honoured included Prof. Ashok Kumar Tripathy, Prof. Niranjan Barik and Prof. Santosh Kumar Kar.

Reported by Aditya Nayak