Bijay Kumar Swain, esteemed environment and forestry expert, passes away at 77

Bhubaneswar, Jan 24: Bijay Kumar Swain (77), a dedicated environment and forestry professional and former Indian Forest Service official, passed away yesterday at a hospital in the city. He was renowned for his commitment to research and innovation in various fields, including Forestry, Silviculture, Bamboo Forest Management, Medicinal Plants of Odisha, and Community Forest Management.

Swain excelled academically throughout his career and even had the opportunity to visit Oxford University. After retiring in 2008, he devoted himself to researching the rich maritime history of Kalinga, making it a point to visit ancestral sites and study Sanskrit inscriptions to delve into Kalinga’s traditions. His passion for this heritage led him to author two significant books: The Kalinga Heritage and Kalinga: Pioneer of Indianisation of Southeast Asia.

He is survived by his wife, Smt. Jayanti Swain, and their two daughters, Dr. Roma Rattan, a Joint DMET, and Mrs. Roopa Roshan Sahoo, an IAS officer. His sons-in-law include Dr. Debashish Nayak, a senior consultant and Cardiothoracic and vascular surgeon at Apollo Hospital, and Shri Anup Kumar Sahoo, an IPS officer. Swain also leaves behind his beloved grandchildren: Rajin, Riddhi, and Kuhu.