Bhubaneswar, January 16: A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed for the major upgradation and modernisation of the Pathani Samanta Planetarium here. The objective of the pact is to create a world-class facility with enhanced astronomy education and new science centers across Odisha benefiting the Students and the public.

The MoU was signed between the Department of Science & Technology and Birla Industrial & Technology Museum (BITM), Kolkata, a unit of National Council of Science Museums (NCSM) under Ministry of Culture at Lokseva Bhawan on Thursday.

This was signed between the Urmiprava Maharana, Director, Pathani Samanta Planetarium and Arnab Chatterjee, the Director, BITM in the presence of Deoranjan Kumar Singh, Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary and Chithra Arumugam, Additional Chief Secretary of Science and Technology Department.

The Pathani Samanta Planetarium under the Department of Science and Technology plays a pivotal role for popularising science, astronomy, astrophysics and space science in general.

Named after the legendary astronomer of Odisha, Maha Mahopadhyay Chandrasekhar Singh Harichandan Mahapatra Samanta, popularly known as Pathani Samanta, it was dedicated to the public on 8th January 1990. Since its inauguration, the planetarium has increased its activities manifold and has enhanced a scientific curiosity across the state. Presently, Pathani Samanta Planetarium presents shows in three different languages like Odia, English and Hindi daily except Monday.