Kamala Pujari Passes Away: Renowned Organic Farmer and Padma Shri Awardee Dies at 74

Kamala Pujari, a noted organic farmer and Padma Shri awardee, passed away on Saturday due to kidney-related ailments. She was 74. Pujari was admitted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack two days ago after her condition worsened. Despite the efforts of a four-member medical team, she died early Saturday morning. Previously, she had been transferred to Cuttack from Jeypore District Headquarters Hospital.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi extended his condolences and announced that Pujari’s funeral will be held with full state honours. Majhi also spoke with Pujari’s son, Tankadhar Pujari, by phone.

ପଦ୍ମଶ୍ରୀ କମଳା ପୂଜାରୀଙ୍କ ବିୟୋଗ ଖବର ଶୁଣି ମୁଁ ମର୍ମାହତ। ତାଙ୍କ ଅମର ଆତ୍ମାର ସଦଗତି ନିମନ୍ତେ ମହାପ୍ରଭୁ ଶ୍ରୀଜଗନ୍ନାଥଙ୍କ ନିକଟରେ ପ୍ରାର୍ଥନା କରୁଛି।

ପରିବେଶ ସୁରକ୍ଷା ଏବଂ ନାରୀ ସଶକ୍ତିକରଣ କ୍ଷେତ୍ରରେ ତାଙ୍କ ଅବଦାନ ସବୁଦିନ ପାଇଁ ସ୍ମରଣୀୟ ହୋଇ ରହିବ।

— Mohan Charan Majhi (@MohanMOdisha) July 20, 2024

“Her contribution to the field of agriculture will be remembered forever,” said Naveen Patnaik, Leader of the Opposition in the Odisha Assembly and former chief minister.

ଓଡ଼ିଶାର ଗର୍ବ ଓ ଗୌରବ, ପଦ୍ମଶ୍ରୀ ସମ୍ମାନରେ ସମ୍ମାନିତ କମଳା ପୂଜାରୀଙ୍କ ଦେହାନ୍ତ ବିଷୟରେ ଜାଣି ମୁଁ ଦୁଃଖିତ। ବିଭିନ୍ନ କିସମର ଧାନ ସଂଗ୍ରହ କରିବା ସହ ଜୈବିକ ଚାଷକୁ ପ୍ରୋତ୍ସାହିତ କରିବା ଦିଗରେ ତାଙ୍କର ବିରଳ କୃତିତ୍ୱ ସର୍ବଦା ପ୍ରେରଣାର ଉତ୍ସ ହୋଇ ରହିବ। ତାଙ୍କ ଅମର ଆତ୍ମାର ସଦଗତି କାମନା କରିବା ସହ ଶୋକସନ୍ତପ୍ତ ପରିବାର ସଦସ୍ୟଙ୍କ… pic.twitter.com/kgQvwn24Og

— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) July 20, 2024

Born in Patraput village, Baipariguda block, Koraput district, Pujari was a pioneer in organic farming, known for cultivating 100 varieties of rice. She was associated with the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation and was honoured with the Padma Shri in 2019 by then-President Ram Nath Kovind. In 2018, she was appointed to the state planning board and received the Best Farmer award from the Odisha government in 2004. Pujari was also awarded the Equator Initiative Award in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 2002.