Bhubaneswar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday felicitated three Odias for their achievement and contribution in their respective fields during the inauguration ceremony of National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER) campus at Jatni near Bhubaneswar.
The PM felicitated Lalita Prasida Sripada Srisai, who had won the Community Impact Award for her innovative project at the Google Science Fair held in California in September last year.
“I am feeling very happy after getting the award from Modi sir as this the first time I got a chance to meet him. I told him that I want to develop this project to implement it on a large scale,” said a visibly happy Lalita.
The young girl from Koraput had invented a water purifier to clean waste water with the help of corn cobs.
ASHA worker Jamuna Mani Singh from Balasore was felicitated for her dedication and awareness campaign to educate villagers about ways to fight malaria. The Prime minister had praised her during monthly radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’ in November last year.
Speaking to media persons about her feeling, Jamuna Mani said, “I will keep doing my duty and I would never deviate from my goal as long as I live. Modi ji said now I am popular throughout the nation.”
Srikant Sahu, a resident of Nabarangpur, who won All India Skill Competition in May last year, was also honoured during the ceremony. Son of a tea and snacks seller, Srikant had won the national level competition conducted by the Directorate General of Employment and Training under the Ministry of Labour.
“I am feeling very happy. It is a dream-come-true for me to meet the Prime Minister as he is a role model for many considering his meteoric rise from a tea seller to prime minister. He congratulated me and said keep growing,” said Srikant.
The three achievers were awarded on the sidelines of inauguration of permanent campus of NISER.