Eminent Odisha Academic Sanghamitra Mohanty Dies Of COVID-19

Bhubaneswar: Eminent academic and former vice-chancellor of North Odisha University (NOU) Prof Sanghamitra Mohanty breathed his last at a private hospital here while undergoing treatment for COVID-19.

She was 68 and survived by her husband Dr Surendranath Nayak, former Reader in Physics of the BJB Autonomous College, and son Navoccha Mahanayak, who works in a private management company in Bengaluru.

According to family sources, Mohanty fell ill in the first week of June. Following information, her son rushed to Bhubaneswar to see her ailing mother. As her condition began to deteriorate, she was admitted to a private hospital on June 19. While undergoing treatment, she was tested positive for COVID-19.

Although she was willing for COVID-19 vaccination, she advised against taking the jobs by the doctors because of her cardiac problems.

The last rites of Mohanty were performed at the Satya Nagar crematorium in the afternoon.

The former president of Odisha Bigyan Academy under the Department of Science and Technology of the Odisha government, Mohanty had also served as Professor and Head of the Department of Computer Science at Utkal University here.

After completing her tenure in NOU, she had joined as senior professor and Dean of, Faculty of Science at Sri Sri University.

Her fields of research included Artificial Intelligence, Speech Processing, Image Processing, Natural Language Processing, Fractal Geometry and High Energy Physics.

Mohanty has thirty Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) on Indian Language Technology Solutions to her credit while more than 180 of her research papers have been published in the International Journals and Conference Proceedings.

A brilliant scholar, Mohanty has guided 68 students for their Masters including 11 for PhD.

She has successfully completed several critical research projects of UGC and the Department of Electronics and Information Technology.

In recognition of her contribution to the field of engineering and technology, the Odisha government has conferred her with the prestigious Samanta Chandrashekhar Award in 2012.

Besides, she was conferred with the Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) by Rama Devi Women’s University for her contribution to science and technology.

She was a Fellow of the Women Engineering Society, United Kingdom and an Honourary member of the National Academy of Science. She was also the director of the School of Women’s Studies of Utkal University from 2009 to 2011.