Unesco's Kalinga Prize money increased to $40,000

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has decided to double the prize money of Unesco Kalinga Prize-2017 to $40,000, an official said on Wednesday.

The government also decided to double the administrative expenses regarding the prize to $20,000.

Following a proposal of the Union Ministry of Science and Technology, the increase in the prize money was approved at a meeting chaired by Odisha Science and Technology Minister Pradeep Kumar Panigrahi.

"The government has given in principle consent to bear its share of $17,000 towards the increase in Unesco Kalinga Prize money from present $20,000 to $40,000 and administrative charges from $10,000 to $20,000," a letter from the Science and Technology Ministry said.

The Kalinga Prize was established in 1951 by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) with a generous grant from Biju Patnaik, the founder-president of the Kalinga Foundation Trust.

First awarded in 1952, the Kalinga Prize is given to a person(s) who make outstanding contribution to the interpretation of science and technology to the general public.

The biennial award is jointly financed by the Government of India through the Ministry of Science and Technology, Odisha government and Kalinga Foundation Trust.

Argentinian scientist Diego Andres Golombek received the Unesco Kalinga Prize 2015.