Padma Shri awardee Kamala Pujari passed away following a cardiac arrest on Saturday.
CUTTACK:
Padma Shri awardee
Kamala Pujari, who was undergoing treatment at
SCB Medical College and Hospital
in Cuttack since Thursday, passed away following a cardiac arrest at 5.45 am on Saturday. She was 74.
Initially admitted to the district headquarters hospital at
Jeypore
in the Koraput district on Tuesday for fever and old-age ailments, Pujari was shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital on Thursday as her condition deteriorated.
A native of Patraput village in the Jeypore block, Pujari received the prestigious Padma Shri award in 2019 for her significant contributions to the field of
agriculture
. She was renowned for preserving hundreds of indigenous varieties of paddy, earning her the Equator Initiative Award in 2002 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Expressing condolences over Pujari’s demise, Koraput Collector
Keerthi Vasan
V stated that Pujari’s family members had been informed and necessary arrangements for the funeral would be made according to the family’s wishes and state government directives.
“There is no specific protocol for the cremation of Padma Shri awardees. Arrangements will be made as per the government’s direction,” said the collector.
Kamala Pujari's dedication to agriculture and her efforts in preserving indigenous crop varieties have left a lasting
legacy
. Her passing marks the end of an era for the agricultural community in
Odisha
.
Chief Minister
Mohan Majhi
condoled the demise of Kamala Pujari. He said the state or country cannot forget her contributions in the field of environmental protection. Her selfless act of
preserving indigenous varieties
of paddy and other grains is commendable.
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