Bhubaneswar, Aug 12: Former Chief Minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik on Monday urged Union Science and Technology Minister Jitender Singh to continue the prestigious UNESCO Kalinga Prize, which was instituted by legendary Biju Patnaik in 1952.
In a letter to Singh, Naveen said UNESCO Kalinga Prize is one of the prestigious international awards in the field of science instituted by Biju Patnaik.
Since its inception in 1972, 72 great scientists including seven Nobel laureates including Louis de Brogile, Julian Huxley, Bertrand Russel, Karlvon Frish, Arthus C Clarke Fred Hoyle and Sergei Kapitza, have been awarded.
Patnaik said the Prize was made possible with a generous grant of 1000 pounds to UNESCO, Paris from Kalinga Foundation Trust in the year 1951 of which Biju Babu was the founder President.
He further said UNESCO Kalinga Prize is the only International award from India in the field of popularization of science and over the years it has been a highly coveted prize and has also become a symbol of Odia identity at the international level.
Patnaik said he was pained to learn that the Ministry of Science and Technology of Government of India has decided to stop supporting this prize.
He said after successful completion of 50 years of UNESCO Kalinga Prize, it was decided in the year of 2002 when late Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the Prime Minister that the Department of Science and Technology of Government of India, Government of Odisha and the Kalinga Foundation Trust will act as the partners/donors for the Prize and share the expenses of the UNESCO Kalinga Prize in the ratio of 6:4:4.
