KalingaTV News Network
Bhubaneswar: ‘The Tall Man Biju Patnaik’, a pictorial biography of former Odisha Chief Minister Bijayananda Patnaik, fondly known as Biju Patnaik or Biju Babu, will be presented at Yashwantrao Chavan Centre in Mumbai on February 3, informed the Biju Patnaik Birth Centenary Committee.
Distinguished personalities from Odisha who have excelled in their respective fields at national and international level have been invited to grace the occasion. They include flutist Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, Cardiac Surgeon Dr. Ramakant Panda, Dr. Santrupta Mishra, former Mumbai Police Commissioner Arup Patnaik, the Committee sources said.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik who happens to be the younger son of Biju Patnaik will preside at the ceremony, sources added.
The book, written by Sundar Ganesan, was jointly released by the former President Pranab Mukherjee, former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, former Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani, and CPI (M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury in the presence of Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on January 27.
Biju Patnaik, the doyen of post-independent Odisha and national politics was born to Lakshminarayan and Ashalata Patnaik in Nuagan village, Ganjam district on March 5, 1916.
The legendary politician served Odisha as its Chief Minister in two phases during 1961-63 and 1990-95. He also served as the Union Minister of India in various Governments.
Biju Patnaik had played pivotal role in establishing several projects in Odisha including the Paradip Port, Orissa Aviation Centre, Bhubaneswar Airport, Regional Engineering College, Rourkela, Sainik School Bhubaneswar, Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology-Bhubaneswar, NALCO, Talcher Thermal Power Station, Balimela Hydel Project, HAL-Sunabeda and so on.
Significantly, Biju Patnaik was given honorary citizenship in Indonesia and awarded the ‘Bhoomi Putra’ for his bravery in rescuing Sultan Sjahrir in 1947. In 1996, he was awarded the highest national award of Indonesia, the ‘Bintang Jasa Utama’.
Ms Kalinga