Kalinga Prize: Naveen appeals to Centre not to withdraw support to Kalinga Prize | Bhubaneswar News
Bhubaneswar: BJD president and leader of opposition Naveen Patnaik on Monday wrote to Jitendra Singh, Union minister for science and technology, requesting his intervention to continue financial support for UNESCO Kalinga Prize, given in the field of science.
Naveen wrote the letter following reports that the ministry has apparently decided to stop supporting the award from this year, which used to be jointly given by the Centre, Odisha govt and Kalinga Foundation in a 6:4:4 ratio.
UNESCO Kalinga Prize was instituted in 1952 by former chief minister Biju Patnaik. “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. This 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,” wrote Naveen. Over the years, it has been a highly coveted prize and has also become a symbol of Odia identity at the international level, he added.
Highlighting the steps taken by his father to set up the award, Naveen wrote, “Imagine the kind of effort Biju babu would have put as a 36 year-old young man, travelling all the way to Paris and to negotiate with UNESCO to set up an international prize for the popularization of science. This foresight and courage of Biju babu has been an inspiration for generations of Odias. Biju babu’s love for his land epitomized in naming the award after ‘Kalinga’, has always lifted the spirit of people of Odisha. Thus ‘Kalinga prize’ is not just an international award but it is a great legacy which people of Odisha are proud of and identify with.”
Naveen added, “I am now pained to learn that the Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India, has decided to stop supporting this prize. I would like to draw your kind attention and request you to personally intervene for continuation of Kalinga Prize and honour Odia ‘identity and pride’ associated with it.”
Criticising Naveen, BJP spokesperson Dillip Mohanty said, “The leader of opposition is fond of writing letters. Without having knowledge of what had exactly happened, he writes a letter. The double-engine BJP govt will always take decisions in the best interest of the people of Odisha.”
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