Justice Panigrahi, Nalco CMD to get Utkal degrees

Bhubaneswar: Justice Basudev Panigrahi, who probed the ethno-communal riots in Kandhamal district in 2007, and three others will receive honorary degrees (honoris causa) from Utkal University on the occasion of its 47th convocation on February 16.
A judicial commission under Panigrahi, in its 560-page report to the state government, blamed religious conversion in Kandhamal for the 2007 violence.
In the conflict, houses of families belonging to two different religious communities were burnt on December 24, 2007, at Bramhanigaon village in the tribal-dominated district.
The judicial panel submitted its report to the state government on November 28, 2015. It recommended better coordination between leaders of different religions and administrations to stop conversion.
The university has also selected economist and professor emeritus, California University, Prasanta Pattanaik, Nalco CMD Tapan Chand and Nimai Charan Panda (noted biochemist) for the honorary degree. Panda is considered father of biochemistry in Odisha and has received several awards for his contribution to medicine and biochemistry.
Confirming the names of the four personalities, registrar S K Das said the university selected one person each from the fields of judiciary, corporate, economics and medicine. A search committee had shortlisted the names of these persons from among dozen names which came under its consideration. Governor and chancellor S C Jamir has given his nod for the honorary degreees, said Das.
Srikumar Bannerjee, chancellor of Homi Bhabha National Institute, an institution under the department of atomic energy, is scheduled to attend the convocation as chief guest. Last year, noted musician Prafulla Kar and playback singer Chittaranjan Jena, were among six prominent personalities, who were conferred with honorary degrees.