Odisha CM present Suraj Award and honours Bahanaga train tragedy heroes

Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik marked World Organ Donation Day by bestowing awards upon the families of Suraj Award recipients and recognizing the efforts of volunteers, institutions, and response forces who provided unwavering support during the Bahanaga train tragedy.

Reflecting on the tragedy’s aftermath, the Chief Minister stated that the swift emergence of human values and compassion exemplified by the Bahanaga incident reaffirmed our society’s innate goodness. He emphasized the need for enhanced response capacities among our teams and volunteers, urging us to remain in a constant state of readiness, as disasters can strike at any time.

He expressed heartfelt condolences to those who lost their lives in the accident, describing the incident as a national tragedy marked by numerous casualties and unimaginable suffering.

He praised the resilience of the people of Bahanaga, local volunteers, institutions, and response forces for their selfless service during the crisis. The Chief Minister also extended his condolences to the families of the deceased, acknowledging the profound pain they endured.

Expressing gratitude towards the families of the Suraj Award recipients, he hailed their act of donating vital organs to save lives as inspiring and exemplary.

Late Master Sudhanshu Sekhar Lenka of Jagatsinghpur district, Late Tanuja Kar of Cuttack district, and Late Prasenjit Mohanty of Bhubaneswar received the Suraj Award, with each family receiving a cash award of Rs 5 lakh. He also paid tribute to late Suraj Behera, in whose name the award is instituted, highlighting the parents’ contribution in promoting organ donation.

Those felicitated included ODRAF, NDRF, 108 Ambulance, AIIMS Bhubaneswar, SCB & MCH Cuttack, BMC Bhubaneswar, Fire & Emergency Services, Collector and SP Balasore, Fakir Mohan Medical College Balasore, Balasore DHH, North Odisha Chamber of Commerce, voluntary and charitable organizations, social workers, and individual volunteers.