New Delhi: Professor Dinabandhu Sahoo known as the Founder of Cherry Blossom Festivals of India received the Distinguished Leadership Honour for his work which has been recognized for its outstanding impact, integrity, innovation and sustained contributions towards advancing inclusive and meaningful social change in India.
The Distinguished Leadership Honour was given at the Times of India National CSR Summit 2026 organized by Times Foundation at Bharat Mandapam ,New Delhi on Saturday.
The recognition followed an independent selection process conducted by a search committee comprising senior leaders from public service, industry, philanthropy, academia and civil society.
Honourable Vice President of India C P Radhakrishnan was the Chief Guest on the occasion. Several Union Ministers, Members of Parliament, Industry Leaders, Policy makers and Civil Society Members from across the country attended the Summit.
Sahoo, presently serving as the Chairperson of Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Council as well as Head, Department of Botany at University of Delhi is an internationally renowned plant biologist known for his contributions for designing and starting the famous Indian Cherry Blossom Festivals in Shillong, Meghalaya and Manipur in 2016 when he was the Director of Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development (IBSD) Government of India ,located at Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Sikkim.
Sahoo was the First Indian student to visit Antarctica during 1987-88 in the Indian Government Scientific Expedition to Antarctica.
Two new plants species Prunus dinabandhuana ( a cherry blossom species) and Caulokaempferia dinabandhuensis ( a ginger species) are named after him because of his scientific contributions.
