Founder President

Prof. (Dr. ) Mahendra Kumar Rout was the Founder President of Orissa Chemical Society. Prof. Rout was born in Bhadrak on 4th January 1924 and did his Matriculation from Patna University in 1938. He did his Bachelor's Degree from Ravenshaw College and Postgraduate Degree in Chemistry from Patna Science College. He was awarded Ph.D. degree from Utkal University in 1952. His fields of research interest were organic synthesis on drugs and biologically active compounds, dyes, and natural products. He started his career as Lecturer in Chemistry from Ravenshaw College and became Professor and Head of the Department of Chemistry, Principal of Ravenshaw College, Director of Public Instruction, Government of Odisha, and Vice-Chancellor of Utkal University. After retirement, he took the responsibility of Chairman Pollution Control Board, then Chairman of All India Banking Recruitment Board. Prof. Rout remained as the President of OCS for consecutively three years (1986, 1988, 1989). During his tenure as the President, the First Annual Conference of OCS was held in Ravenshaw College, Cuttack, on June 28-29, 1986. The Second Annual Conference was held on January 25-26, 1988, in P. N. College, Khurda. On March 26-27, 1989, the Third Annual Conference was held in Khallikote College, Berhampur. He passed away at the age of 66 on February 07, 1990. Since then, Odisha Chemical Society is organizing Prof. Mahendra Kumar Rout Memorial Lecture in its Annual Meetings and also giving awards to winners of Prof. Mahendra Kumar Rout essay competition to commemorate the contributions made by him to chemistry education and research as well as for his services to the OCS.