Three-time Odisha Chief Minister JB Patnaik passes away

Bhubaneshwar: Veteran Congress leader and three-time Odisha Chief Minister Janaki Ballav Patnaik passed away early on Tuesday morning at Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh.

He was 89. Popularly known as JB Patnaik, the former CM is survived by his wife Jayanti Patnaik, two daughters and a son.

According to sources, Patnaik had on Monday gone to Rashtriya Sankrit Vidyapeeth, a Sankrit university at Tirupati, to attend its convocation ceremony on Tuesday.

“At around 2 am, he complained of a mild chest pain. He was immediately rushed from the University’s guest house to a local hospital where doctors at around 3 pm declared him dead,” Pruthvi Ballav Patnaik, son of the departed leader, said.

Patnaik’s body was flown to Bhubaneswar in a special flight Bhubaneswar. A guard of honour was given to him at the Biju Patnaik Airport and later the body was taken to his residence at Forest Park in the city.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Odisha governor Dr S.C. Jamir and Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik and host of other leaders have condoled the death of Patnaik. 

The state government declared a one-day holiday on Tuesday, besides announcing a seven-day state mourning.

Born on January 3, 1927 at Rameswar village under Khurda district, Patnaik was also an eminent journalist, litterateur and Sanskrit scholar.

During his days in Ravenshaw College, Cuttack, J.B. Patnaik led the students’ movement against the British demanding removal of Union Jack from the college premises.

Later, after completing his post graduation in political science from Banaras Hindu University, - he started his career in the Prajatantra, an Odia daily, a journalist. Along with the Prajatantra, he also edited the Eastern Times, an English periodical.

An astute politician, Janaki Ballav was a close associate of Nehru-Gandhi family. In 1971, he got elected to Lok Sabha and became deputy minister of defence and later minister of state for defence from 1973 to 1975 in the Union council of ministers headed by Indira Gandhi.

In 1980, he got elected to Lok Sabha for the second term and became Union minister for tourism, civil aviation and labour.

JB entered into Odisha Legislative Assembly on November 24, 1980 through Athagarh by-elections. He again won the seat in 1995. In 1995 he changed his constituency and got elected from Khurda. For the next two terms, – 1995-2000 and 2000-2005, - he represented Begunia in the state Assembly.

JB was sworn in as chief minister of Odisha on June 9, 1980 and continued in the post for two terms - till December 7, 1989. He was made chief minister for the third term – from March 15, 1995 to February 17, 1999.

Considered as one of the great visionary leaders, JB Patnaik is credited with helping Odisha metamorphose from a complete agrarian economy to industrial economy. His concept of “One thousand industries in one thousand days” brought industrial revolution in the state. It led to establishment of specialized government agencies for facilitating industrialization in the state.

A litterateur par excellence, JB has written many books in Odia, Sankrit and English. Some of his works include 'Gautama Buddha', 'Swapna O Sankalpa', Sindhu Upatyaka', Mahabharat', 'Ramayana', books, Translated, 'Niti Sataka', 'Srungar Sataka', Bairagya Sataka', 'Gokulananda Granthavali', 'Novels of Bankim Chandra', 'Prabandha Sankalan', Srimad Bhagabat' and 'Swadhinata Sangramara Smruti'.

JB’s stint as governor from 2009 to 2014 of Assam, saw close cultural ties between the two states.