As the body of three-time Odisha chief minister and senior Congress leader Janaki Ballabh Patnaik lay in a glass casket at his residence here to enable a last homage, it marked the end of era in Odisha politics.
Patnaik was one of the most important post-independence political leaders from the state, alongside the legendary Biju Patnaik (no relation).
The body was flown here on Tuesday afternoon from Tirupati, where he passed away in the early morning after a heart attack. He had gone to Tirupati on Monday for the convocation ceremony of Rashtriya Sanskrit University.
Patnaik started as a journalist in 1949 after doing his postgraduation in political science from BHU; he went into active politics in the late 1960s. He was elected to the Lok Sabha for the first time in 1971 and worked as a deputy minister and then minister of state for defence in Indira Gandhi’s council of ministers between 1973 and 1977. He was elected to the Lok Sabha again in 1980 and was Union cabinet minister for tourism, civil aviation and labour, before being sent to Odisha to take charge as chief minister the same year.
Parnaik’s stint as CM from 1980 to 1989 is credited with bringing political stability to the state, which had seen 10 governments between 1956 and 1980. He became CM for a third term in 1995, thus serving at the helm of state affairs for a combined 14 years, a record only outperformed by Naveen Patnaik, the present CM, who has completed 15 years in office. He was leader of the opposition in the state assembly from 2004 to 2009.
As the CM, he’d launched many programmes for the development of the state in irrigation, communication, social infrastructure and industrialisation. A notable schemess was for promotion of '1,000 industries in 1,000 days'. He'd launched the scheme to promote local entrepreneurship and job opportunities in the small and medium enterprises sector.
Patnaik was also a litterateur and Sanskrit scholar. He won the central Sahitya Akademi award for his Odia translation of Bankim Chandra’s novels in 2001 and the Odisha Sahitya Akademi award for his book ‘Bairagya Shataka’, a translation of Bhartruhari’s celebrated Sanskrit work, in 1996. He translated the Mahabharata, the Ramayana and the Gita into Odia. His other works were Sindhu Upatyaka and a biography of the Buddha.
Terming Patnaik an “institution” in himself, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said “he was a great figure in Odisha politics, known for his political acumen and administrative ability, who withstand the test of time in politics”.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, “JB Patnaik’s contribution to Odisha’s development will always be remembered. Saddened on his demise. Condolences to his family.”
As hundreds ofs supporters and admirers, across party lines, queued at his residence, one said; “He'd transcended the boundary of being a politician and was a statesman. This is evident from the respect he commanded from leaders of different parties and common people.”
Patnaik was one of the most important post-independence political leaders from the state, alongside the legendary Biju Patnaik (no relation).
The body was flown here on Tuesday afternoon from Tirupati, where he passed away in the early morning after a heart attack. He had gone to Tirupati on Monday for the convocation ceremony of Rashtriya Sanskrit University.
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In his long innings in public life, Patnaik had completed his last assignment, as Governor of Assam, in December last year. He was 89 and is survived by his and former Parliament member Jayanti Patnaik, two daughters and a son. The cremation will be at Puri on Wednesday, said family sources.
Patnaik started as a journalist in 1949 after doing his postgraduation in political science from BHU; he went into active politics in the late 1960s. He was elected to the Lok Sabha for the first time in 1971 and worked as a deputy minister and then minister of state for defence in Indira Gandhi’s council of ministers between 1973 and 1977. He was elected to the Lok Sabha again in 1980 and was Union cabinet minister for tourism, civil aviation and labour, before being sent to Odisha to take charge as chief minister the same year.
Parnaik’s stint as CM from 1980 to 1989 is credited with bringing political stability to the state, which had seen 10 governments between 1956 and 1980. He became CM for a third term in 1995, thus serving at the helm of state affairs for a combined 14 years, a record only outperformed by Naveen Patnaik, the present CM, who has completed 15 years in office. He was leader of the opposition in the state assembly from 2004 to 2009.
As the CM, he’d launched many programmes for the development of the state in irrigation, communication, social infrastructure and industrialisation. A notable schemess was for promotion of '1,000 industries in 1,000 days'. He'd launched the scheme to promote local entrepreneurship and job opportunities in the small and medium enterprises sector.
Patnaik was also a litterateur and Sanskrit scholar. He won the central Sahitya Akademi award for his Odia translation of Bankim Chandra’s novels in 2001 and the Odisha Sahitya Akademi award for his book ‘Bairagya Shataka’, a translation of Bhartruhari’s celebrated Sanskrit work, in 1996. He translated the Mahabharata, the Ramayana and the Gita into Odia. His other works were Sindhu Upatyaka and a biography of the Buddha.
Terming Patnaik an “institution” in himself, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said “he was a great figure in Odisha politics, known for his political acumen and administrative ability, who withstand the test of time in politics”.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, “JB Patnaik’s contribution to Odisha’s development will always be remembered. Saddened on his demise. Condolences to his family.”
As hundreds ofs supporters and admirers, across party lines, queued at his residence, one said; “He'd transcended the boundary of being a politician and was a statesman. This is evident from the respect he commanded from leaders of different parties and common people.”