Bhubaneshwar (Odisha): Director of Bhubaneswar-based Institute of Life sciences (ILS) Dr Ajay Parida passed away at Guwahati in Assam early on Tuesday. He was 58. Dr Parida was in Guwahati to attend a conference on Tuesday.
As per reports, Parida was rescued from his room in Guwahati and immediately rushed to a nearby hospital where the doctors declared him dead. He was a recipient of Padma Shri for outstanding contributions to the field of Science and Engineering. Prior to being posted as the ILS Director, he had served M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, Chennai as an Executive Director.
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During the Covid times, he became a household name in Odisha. Since 2017, Parida had been the Director of the ILS, an autonomous organisation under the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology.