Bhubaneswar: In a significant step towards strengthening science education and public outreach in Odisha, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on Monday for the major upgradation and modernisation of the Pathani Samanta Planetarium in Bhubaneswar. The initiative aims to transform the planetarium into a world-class facility while expanding astronomy education and science centres across the state for the benefit of students and the general public.
The MoU was signed between the Department of Science & Technology, Government of Odisha, and the Birla Industrial & Technology Museum (BITM), Kolkata, a unit of the National Council of Science Museums (NCSM) under the Ministry of Culture. The signing took place at Lokseva Bhawan.
The agreement was formally exchanged by Smt. Urmiprava Maharana, Director, Pathani Samanta Planetarium, and Arnab Chatterjee, Director, BITM, in the presence of Deoranjan Kumar Singh, Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary, and Chithra Arumugam, Additional Chief Secretary, Science & Technology Department.
Officials said the modernisation project will introduce advanced astronomy exhibits, improved planetarium infrastructure, and innovative learning tools, aimed at enhancing scientific temper and curiosity among young learners. The collaboration with NCSM is expected to bring national-level expertise in science communication and museum design to Odisha.
Operating under the Department of Science & Technology, the Pathani Samanta Planetarium plays a pivotal role in popularising science, astronomy, astrophysics and space science in the state. Named after Odisha’s legendary astronomer Maha Mahopadhyay Chandrasekhar Singh Harichandan Mahapatra Samanta, popularly known as Pathani Samanta, the planetarium was dedicated to the public on January 8, 1990.
Since its inception, the planetarium has steadily expanded its outreach and activities, nurturing scientific curiosity across Odisha. At present, it conducts daily shows in Odia, English and Hindi, except on Mondays, catering to a wide and diverse audience.
The event was attended by Principal Secretary, Finance Department, Sanjeeb Kumar Mishra; Managing Director, IDCO, D. Prasanth Kumar Reddy; Special Secretary, Planning and Convergence, Debendra Kumar Jena; Additional Secretary, Science & Technology, Sibani Mohanty; and senior officials including Puja Mishra and Smt. Bidyut Prava Rout, among others.
The state government said the MoU marks a major milestone in its efforts to promote scientific awareness, innovation and experiential learning, while positioning Odisha as a hub for science education and public engagement.