ORISSA BIGYAN ACADEMY (OBA)

Orissa Bigyn Academy (OBA) is the nodal agency for popularization of science in the State. The Academy has been bringing out a bi-monthly popular Science magazine in Oriya, namely, "Bigyan Diganta" with an objective of making science intelligible among the student community in particular and common masses in general.

In order to foster a scientific temper among the public and in order to sensitize more and more students to accept Science and Technology as their professional career, the Orissa Bigyan Academy (OBA) is expected to play a vital role. The Academy is a nodal agency of the Department of Science and Technology, Government of Orissa. Its objectives include creating a scientific temper in the State by organizing exhibitions, discussions, workshops, Seminars in all parts of the State, publishing magazines and periodicals to sensitize the public about the role of S& T for the development of the State of Orissa, presenting various awards to Senior and Junior Scientists as a source of encouragement, felicitating the eminent scientists and awarding the prominent writers for their significant contributions to the scientific literature (in Oriya), arranging various types of workshops and seminars to impart proper training to teachers and writers of our State and the like.

Some of the significant achievements of Orissa Bigyan Academy during the year 2003-2004 are given below. 1. Orissa Bigyan Academy has organized Science Exhibition, Seminars, Lectures, Essay/Drawing/ Debates Competitions etc. in different places of the State in collaboration with NGOs/ Institutions.

2. A bi-monthly popular science magazine in Oriya "Bigyan Diganta" is being published by the Academy. Six issues of the magazine were published during the year 2003-04. Four issues of the abridged version of "Bigyan Diganta" were also published for the visually handicapped students of the state and distributed free of cost to the visually handicapped students and their institutions during 2003-04.

3. Orissa Bigyan Academy organized investiture ceremony of Samanta Chandra Sekhar Awards for the years 2000 & 2001 at Jayadev Bhawan (Soochana Bhavan), Bhubaneswar on 11th June 2003. Hon'ble Chief Minister of Orissa graced the occasion as Chief Guest and conferred the awards wherein 08 Scientists were awarded.

4. Orissa Bigyan Academy organized a popular science lecture on Biotecchnology in the conference hall of DAV Public School, Unit-VIII, Bhubaneswar on dt.11.7.03 at 3.00PM. Prof. P.K. Yadav, Professor of Jawaharlal Nehru University of New Delhi delivered a lecture on the topic "How to develop Molecules for Vaccine and Therapy".

5. Orissa Bigyan Academy organized investiture ceremony for Felicitation of Senior Scientists of Orissa for the years 2000 & 2001 at Jaydev Bhavan (Soochana Bhavan), Bhubaneswar on 8th August 2003 wherein 05 scientists were awarded.

6. Orissa Bigyan Academy organized investiture ceremony of Popular Science Writer's Award and Orissa Young Scientists Award for the years 2000 & 2001 at Jaydev Bhavan (Soochana Bhavan), Bhubaneswar on 30th November 2003. Hon'ble Chief Minister of Orissa graced the occasion as Chief Guest and conferred the awards wherein 6 science writers and 5 young scientists were awarded.

7. Orissa Bigyan Academy organized a popular science talk on the occasion of Death Centenary of Pathani Samanta at Bhadrak High School, Bhadrak on 23.7.2003 and Nayagarh High School on 22.9.2003.

8. Orissa Bigyan Academy organized a popular science lecture at Post Graduate Department of Zoology of the Utkal University, Vani Vihar, Bhubaneswar. Eminent scientist Prof. B.C. Tripathy (Samanta Chandra Sekhar Awardee-200l), Professor, School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi delived a popular talk of the topic "Development of Human Life Systems for Colonisation in Space" on 20.11.2003.

9. On the eve of observance of Death Centenary Year of Pathani Samanta, Orissa Bigyan Academy organized the Poster Exhibition on life and work of Pathani Samanta and demonstration of model instruments devised by Pathani Samanta in 29 High Schools of the District Headquarters of the state.

Besides this Orissa Bigyan Academy also organized different activities like Quiz, Debate & Essay competitions related to Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology in 54 High Schools of the State.

10. The National Science Day - 2004 was celebrated by Orissa Bigyan Academy at M.K.C. High School, Baripada on 27.2.2004 and 28.2.2004. On this occasion science based project exhibition, essay, sit & draw competition, science quiz competition were conducted.