© 2024 - Dr Chitta Ranjan Mishra
Dr. Chitta Ranjan Mishra was born in the village Bhabanipur under Bari Block in the District of Jajpur, Odisha on 2nd June, 1949. Sj. Gayadhar Mishra and Late Parbati Mishra were his proud parents. He obtained his Graduate and Post- Graduate Degrees in Chemistry from Ravenshaw College, Cuttack (now Ravenshaw University) in the year 1969 and 1971 respectively with flying collars. He received his PhD Degree in Chemistry from the University of Calcutta in the year 1977 working at the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Jadavpur, Kolkata on “Synthesis of Terpene Alkaloids” under the guidance of Eminent Organic Chemist of the Country Prof. P.C.Dutta, D.Sc, FNA. He did his Post- Doctoral Research at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore during 1977-79 under the guidance of Prof. D.K.Banerjee, the then Director of the Institute, on “Synthesis of Female Sex Hormone Estrogens” . Dr. Mishra did his D.Sc in Aluminium Technology on “Novel Innovations in Product & Process Development in Alumina & Aluminium Industry” from The International University of Contemporary Studies, Washington D.C., USA in the Year 2009.
Dr. Mishra is an Eminent Chemical Scientist & Technologist, Columnist, Television Anchor, Author, Orator and Science Popularizer of repute. He had a highly distinguished career in the Navratna Public Sector Company of Govt. of India, NALCO, in the field of Research & Development for more than 25 years. Dr. Mishra was heading the Research & Development Division of NALCO as Deputy General Manager (R&D). Dr. Mishra is a Prolific Science Writer, Orator and Columnist of repute in Odia Language and has significantly contributed to the Public Outreach of Science. He has authored 11 Popular Science Books in Odia & English Languages out of which five books are award winning books. He has contributed more than 500 Popular Science Articles in leading Odia News Papers, Science Magazines and Periodicals etc spanning a period of last 25 years. He has also contributed immensely to public outreach of science through electronic media in regional language Odia (DD Odia) & is presently pursuing this mission with much vigor & enthusiasm.
Dr. Mishra has received large numbers of National, International and State Level Awards and Recognitions for his Outstanding Contributions to the field of Science & Technology and Popularization of Science. Some of the notables are: (i) NRDC Independence Day National Science Award for Meritorious Invention, DSIR, Ministry of Science & Technology, Govt. of India - 1997 ; (ii) UNO’s World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) International Gold Medal, Geneva, Switzerland - 1998 (iii) NALCO’s Outstanding Achievement Award as Best Officer of the Company -1998 (iv)CSIR National Technology Award in the field of Chemical Technology, DSIR, Ministry of Science & Technology , Govt. of India - 2002 (v) Odisha Bigyan Academy Award as the Most Popular Science Writer of Odisha - 2003 (vi)Orissa Environmental Society Award for Science Popularization -2007(vii) Rajdhani Pustak Mela Puraskar-2007(viii)Bhubaneswar Pustak Mela Puraskar-2008(ix)Kalinga Pustak Mela Puraskar-2009(x)Bigyan Prachar Samiti Award for Science Popularization- 2009(xi) Dr. Prana Krushna Parija Bigyan Sahitya Samman-2010 (xii) first “ Kalinga Samman “ Award for Popularization of Science -2010 (xiii)Nominated as “PRIYA ODIA” for Outstanding Contribution to Science & Technology and Popularization of Science by ETV (Odia) – 2010 (xiii) DST/NCSTC, Govt. of India National Award for Science Popularization-2010 as the Best Science Writer of the Country (xiv) Samanta Chandrasekhar Award for Science Popularization-2012 (xv) Justice Rajkishore Das Award for Science Popularization-2012 (xvi) Sir Isaac Newton Award for Science Popularization -2013 by American Biographical Institute, USA (xvii) Dr. B.C.Panda Award for Environment & Science Communication -2015 (xviii) Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Award for Lifetime Dedication to Popularization of Science- 2015 and many more…….
Dr. Mishra has worked in the areas of Bauxite, Alumina, Aluminium Science & Technology and related fields for over 35 years and has established himself as a leading Alumina-Aluminium Technologist of the Country. Dr. Mishra has published more than 70 Research Papers in various National and International Journals, Seminars, Conferences and Symposiums etc. He has also 12 National & International Patents to his credit in the field of Bauxite, Alumina & Aluminium Science and Technology and related fields.
Based on one of his patents, in the year 2001, NALCO has set up Country’s largest Detergent Grade Zeolite-A Commercial Plant with a capacity of 10,000 tons per annum at its Alumina Refinery, Damanjodi at an investment of Rs. 30 Crore. This Technology was adjudicated by UNO - WIPO, Geneva as the Best Chemical Technology developed in the 3rd World Countries during the year – 1998 & Dr. Mishra was decorated with the most coveted UNO – WIPO International Gold Medal by the Secretary General, WIPO, Geneva, Switzerland.
Dr. Mishra has visited USA, Russia, Japan, China, Greece, Austria, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Brazil, France, UK & Italy several times on Science & Technology Missions, Higher Studies and Industrial & Technological Collaborations.
Biography of Dr. Mishra has been published in leading Biographical Memoirs of the World. Dr. Mishra is a Member & Fellow of a host of Professional bodies both in the country and abroad. Dr. Mishra is presently a Trustee of Kalinga Foundation Trust, Bhubaneswar. He was also Secretary, Orissa Environmental Society; Chairman, Indian Institute of Metals (Bhubaneswar Chapter); Vice- Chairman, Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers (Bhubaneswar Chapter) & President of Odisha Chemical Society- 2014 to name a few.