Bhawanipatna, YNN: In a significant effort to promote scientific temper among students, the District Education Office, in collaboration with the Odisha Rising Foundation, organised the Kalahandi district-level National Science Day celebration and STEM exhibition at the OUAT campus, Bhawanipatna. The inaugural ceremony witnessed the presence of ADM Tanmaya Darwan as the chief guest, with the session presided over by DEO Radhakanta Chhatri.
The dais was graced by several distinguished guests, including Nipun Odisha Chief Coordinator Amarjit Jena, Professor Sandeep Nayak, Dean of OUAT Bhawanipatna, CH Aishya Prakash, Director of Odisha Rising Foundation, ADEOs Shubhalaxmi Nayak, Hemasagar Mahananda and Tapimani Jani, along with DSS Dusmanta Sekhar Padhi. The programme commenced with an inaugural song presented by students of Talbelgaon Higher Secondary School, under the direction of teacher Nilanchal Pan.
A key highlight of the event was the release of the annual science magazine, ‘Bigyan Manikya’, followed by the formal inauguration of the STEM Exhibition-2026 by the dignitaries. The proceedings were efficiently conducted by teacher Sudhanshu Shekhar Panda and teacher Gayatri Karuan. Following the inauguration, the guests and jury members undertook a thorough visit to the exhibition, engaging in meaningful discussions with the young scientists about their innovative projects. The scientific fervour was further amplified by a science-themed drama titled ‘Agniputri’, performed by students of Thuapadar Higher Secondary School, guided by teacher Diptimayee Singh. An open discussion session for teachers was moderated by Shubhalaxmi Dash and Ankita Pattanayak. The session saw active participation from educators across the region, including Dharamraj Pradhan and Tankadhar Pradhan from Bargarh district, Ashok Kumar Behera from Nuapada, and National Award-winning teacher Santosh Kumar Kar from Kalahandi. Adding a creative dimension to the event, Dharamraj Pradhan and Samir Kumar Behera conducted an engaging origami workshop for the participants. In a special segment, students Shubhalaxmi Sahoo and Ashutosh Meher, who have previously presented their science projects at the national level, shared their inspiring experiences. The session was managed by teachers Tejeswar Sahu and Lotus Tripathy.
On this occasion, the District Science Forum was formally constituted by District Science Observer Dusmanta Sekhar Padhi to further strengthen the science ecosystem in the district’s schools. The valedictory session was graced by DEO Radhakanta Chhatri, Odisha Rising Foundation Director CH Aishya Prakash, Programme Head Sagarika Roy, Additional DEOs Shubhalaxmi Nayak and Hemasagar Mahananda, and Niharika Devi, Senior Teacher-Educator from DIET. The dignitaries awarded prizes to the winners of the various competitions. Teacher Swetalin Pradhan anchored the session, while the vote of thanks was proposed by Birendra Acharya, HSS Coordinator. The event witnessed active participation and cooperation from teachers and students across all blocks of the district, as well as the entire staff of the District Education Office.
