Golden jubilee of Utkal University’s Physics department celebrated

Bhubaneswar: Utkal University’s Physics department has played a stellar role in global scientific development in the last five decades and has the potential to contribute in a big way towards the growth of science and innovation in the country, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said here on Tuesday.

Inaugurating the two-day golden jubilee celebrations of the department as chief guest, Pradhan said world has big expectations from India.

“Our responsibilities are much bigger. The NEP 2020 has the answer to meet global challenges. Physics is the mother of all sciences. Physics should not be confined to being an instrument of intellectual culture, it should become a medium of development and well-being,” he said.

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“In the next 13 years, Odisha will complete 100 years of statehood. In the next 25 years, India will complete 100 years of Independence. This period is important for all of us. Physics department’s repository of last 50 years will help us identify ways to navigate the next 25 years,” Pradhan stressed.

Vice-chancellor of Utkal University Prof Sabita Acharya presided over the function. Guest of honour Professor Emeritus of Physics in IISER, Pune Prof Sunil Mukhi released the ‘Vision Document’ and Souvenir of the department on the occasion.

President of Vani Vihar Physics Alumni Association Prof Lambodar Prasad Singh also spoke. While head of Physics department Prof Prafulla Kumar Panda gave the welcome address, vice-president of Alumni Association, Prof Durga Prasad Mohapatra offered vote of thanks and a senior scientist of IMMT Dr Manas Kumar Dalai, who is an alumnus of the department, moderated the function while all the faculties of Physics department were present on the occasion.