Bhubaneswar: Acclaimed Paddy Preserver and Padma Shri awardee Kamala Pujari passed away due to cardiac arrest while undergoing treatment at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack. She passed away in the wee hours of Saturday at the age of 73. , the hospital officials informed.
Governor Raghubar Das, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and others condoled Pujari’s demise and expressed deep grief.
Acclaimed for her contributions to organic farming and conservation of native paddy varieties Kamala Pujari was shifted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of SCB Medical College and Hospital from a Jeypore-based hospital two days back after her condition deteriorated.
It may be noted that Pujari was not keeping well and had earlier undergone treatment at SCB multiple times in the past. She was suffering from kidney-related ailments.
A team of four doctors from the Medicine Department, Nephrology Department, and Pulmonology Department was formed to treat Pujari. The team led by Medicine department professor Jayant Panda was looking after Pujari.
Sources said that she had undergone dialysis recently. She was not consuming food and suffered a cardiac arrest early today.
Hailing from a remote village in the tribal-dominated Koraput district, Pujari was known for promoting organic farming and preserving traditional paddy seeds.
She has the credit of preserving hundreds of indigenous varieties of paddy. Conserving paddy and promoting organic farming was not a pastime for her. After getting into this, she mobilized people, arranged group gatherings, and interacted with people to shun chemical fertilizers.
Interested in traditional farming, she learnt the basic techniques of preserving paddy from MS Swaminathan Research Foundation at Jeypore and has contributed a lot in the field of organic farming. She was awarded India’s fourth highest civilian, the Padma Shri in the year 2019 by President, Shri Ram Nath Kovind. She was also been given many awards for her contribution to Organic Farming.
Condolences Pour In
Governor Raghubar Das took to his ‘X’ handle and wrote, “It is deeply saddening to hear about the demise of social worker and Padma Shri awardee Kamla Pujari ji. May God give her a place at his lotus feet and give strength to her family to bear this pain. She will always be remembered for her efforts to promote organic farming and preserve indigenous rice seeds.”
Chief Minister Shri Mohan Charan Majhi expressed deep grief over the demise of Padmashri Kamala Pujari. He spoke to Pujari’s son Tankadhar Pujari on the telephone and consoled him.
“Padma Shri Kamala Pujari played a champion role in preserving indigenous paddy varieties and other seeds. She also promoted organic farming. Her contribution towards environment protection was immense which Odisha and the nation can never forget.” Said CM Mohan Majhi in his condolence message.
