Bhubaneswar: In a remarkable feat of innovation, scientist Saroj Kumar Panigrahi, hailing from Odisha, spearheads the ‘Surya Tilak’ project crafted by the Central Building Research Institute (CBRI) at Ayodhya’s Ram Mandir. This pioneering endeavor promises to illuminate the forehead of Lord Ram’s idol with a sunlit ‘Tilak’ during the annual celebration of Ram Navami.
Operated without electricity, battery, iron, or steel, the ‘Surya Tilak’ project utilizes sunlight, mirrors, and lenses. The manually-operated system employs brass, as revealed by sources. The circular Tilak is set to grace Lord Ram’s forehead for approximately three to four minutes at noon on Ram Navami.
Collaborating with the Indian Institute of Astrophysics and a Bengaluru-based engineering institute, the CBRI team has harnessed scientific expertise to bring this innovative concept to life. Born in Paralakhemundi, Odisha, Saroj Kumar Panigrahi pursued his education at Burla engineering college and REC Rourkela before earning his PhD from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Roorkee. Currently, he serves as a scientist at CBRI.