Odisha agri varsity hostel named after eminent woman farmer

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Mar 26:

In recognition of her commendable efforts to preserve indigenous varieties of paddy, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today named the women’s hostel of Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) after Kamala Pujari.

While inaugurating the newly-built hostel of the OUAT, Patnaik hailed the contribution of the Koraput-based Kamala Pujari who has preserved hundreds of indigenous varieties of paddy.

The 67-year-old woman farmer was also felicitated during the occasion.

It may be mentioned here that Pujari hails from Patraput under Jeypore block in the tribal-dominated Koraput district. She had launched a crusade to preserve the indigenous varieties of paddy and adopt organic farming.

The tribal woman has been awarded by many national and international agencies too. In 2002, Pujari was felicitated at Johannesburg in South Africa. She has won The Equator Initiative Award in 2002 and Krusi Bisarada Samman in New Delhi. Besides, Odisha government had bestowed Leadership in Achieving Initiative award on her in 2004.