Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik on Monday extended heartfelt congratulations to Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, Director General of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), after he was conferred with the prestigious United Nations Sasakawa Award 2025 for Disaster Risk Reduction.
Taking to X, Chief Minister Majhi wrote, “Heartiest congratulations and best wishes to the Director General of the Indian Meteorological Department, Shri Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, on being awarded the prestigious UN Sasakawa Prize – 2025. Your accurate assessments during natural disasters have helped save countless precious lives. As an Odia, your achievement is a matter of pride and honour for both the state and the country. I wish you continued success.”
Echoing this sentiment, former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who now serves as Leader of the Opposition, posted: “Congratulate #Odisha’s Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, Director General of Meteorology of @Indiametdept on being conferred with United Nations Sasakawa Award 2025 for Disaster Risk Reduction. He has been awarded for his pioneering work in reducing cyclone-related fatalities across the Indian Ocean region. #Odisha is proud of your achievement.”
Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, popularly known as the ‘Cyclone Man of India’, received the award during the eighth session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction held recently in Geneva. The global recognition comes in acknowledgement of his transformative contributions to tropical cyclone forecasting and the development of robust early warning systems, which have helped reduce disaster-related casualties significantly across the Indian subcontinent.
A native of Bhadrak district in Odisha, Mohapatra has served as Director General of the IMD since 2019 and is also one of the three vice-presidents of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the UN’s specialized agency on climate, weather, and water.
In a brief message, he stated: “Received United Nations Sasakawa Award 2025 for disaster risk reduction. I am really grateful.”
Earlier this year, Mohapatra was also honoured with the Scientific and Technological Activities Commission Outstanding Service Award 2025 by the American Meteorological Society, reaffirming his global leadership in meteorological science.
