Bhubaneswar: Seeking the intervention of Union Minister for Science and Technology, Jitendra Singh for continuance of the ministry’s support to prestigious UNESCO Kalinga Prize, Leader of Opposition of the Odisha Legislative Assembly and former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik wrote a letter to the Union Minister today.

Patnaik shot off the letter to Singh after the Ministry of Science & Technology decided to stop supporting for the UNESCO Kalinga Prize.

The Leader of Opposition, in the letter, requested the Ministry to honour the Odia identity and pride associated with this international prize.

The prestigious UNESCO Kalinga Prize has been awarded for excellence in the field of Science. Instituted by former Odisha Chief Minister Biju Patnaik in 1952, the prize has so far been awarded to 72 great scientists including seven Nobel Laureates – Louis de Brogile, Julian Huxley, Bertrand Russel, Karl von Frisch, Arthur C. Clarke, Fred Hoyle and Sergei Kapitza.

In 2002, the then Prime Minister Late Atal Bihari Vajapayee decided that the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, the Odisha Government and the Kalinga Foundation Trust will act as partners or donors for the UNESCO Kalinga Prize and share the prize expenses in the ratio of 6:4:4.

“The Kalinga Prize is not just an international award but it is a great legacy which people of Odisha are proud of and identify with,” Patnaik’s letter mentioned.