An international seminar and workshop on Exploring the World of Gems: Gemology, Prospecting and Identification was organized by the Department of Geology, Fakir Mohan University, Balasore in collaboration with IGO from 10th to 12th January 2024. The Seminar was attended by eminent gemologists Prof V K Karanth, Prof Bibhuti Rai, Lucknow University and Mrs Rama Rudra Roy, Director (Retd.), GSI besides faculty members and students from F M Universty, Ravenshaw University etc. A delegation comprising Sri J K Nanda, Sri Sisir Rath,  Sri J N Das, Sri C R Das, Dr Manoranjan Mohanty and Dr B K Sahu attended the Seminar on behalf of IGO. 

The Seminar was jointly inaugurated by Prof Santosh Kumar Tripathy, Vice Chancellor, F M University and Sri J K Nanda, President, IGO on the 10th January 2024. The inaugural session was followed by a virtual presentation on Gemology as an Evolving Science by the keynote speaker Dr James Shigley, GIA Research, California, USA.  A talk on Strategies for Developing Gemstone Resources was by  virtually presented by Sri Dibya Jyoti Baral, Fura Gems, Dubai highlighting the uniqueness and challenges associated with gemstone mining and prospecting. The technical session continued with presentations by Dr R V Karanth, Prof Vibhuti Rai, Sri J K Nada, Sri J N Das, Dr G Pradhan, Mrs Rama Rudra Roy, Victor Torres Pacheco (virtually) besides others. Sri Sisir Rath delivered a motivating talk. The ended with an scintillating cultural programme by the students of F M University.

On 11th January, the workshop started with brief introduction to identification of gemstones by Dr Karanth, Sri J N das and Mrs Rama Rudra Roy. The participants got an opportunity to the different ways to identify different gemstones using various instruments. Dr Manoranjan Mohanty briefed about the geological set up of the area of the field visit.

On the 3rd day, an geological field trip to the gemstone occurrences in the Mayurbhanj District was organised. Besides the IGO members, officers of GSI – Mrs Chinmayee Satpathy,  Mrs Itishree Chinara and  Ms Maya Tripathi explained the regional and local geological set up of the area.

Overall, the Seminar was a huge success. The efforts and active participation by the IGO, especially that of Sri J N Das, was highly appreciated by the Vice Chancellor and other participants.

Glimpses of the Seminar/ Workshops                 Parichaya: J N Das               Seminar Teaser                  Media Coverage                Proceedings on YouTube