Who was Odisha Minister Naba Das, a brief history of his life and career

Bhubaneswar: Naba Kishore Das, was a fearless leader. Leaders like him are rare in Odisha politics. Born in Mirgamunda village under Maneshwar block of Sambalpur district. His father Narsingh Chandra Das, was a trader in forest products, especially bamboo. For his work, he came with his family and settled in Modi pPada of Sambalpur city.

Naba Kishore Das is the second son of Narsingh Chandra Das and Bishnupriya Das. The elder son is Raj leader Raj Kishore Das, the middle one is Das, the third is prominent special class developer Braj Kishore Das, the younger son is Naba Kishore Das, a prominent businessman duo and only one sister Parutan Sambalpur. Municipal council chairman Anand is wife of Jena.

Das started his education from Modi Pada High School and passed his matriculation examination from Bhojpur High School, his maternal uncle’s house. Later he started his college life from Gangadhar Meher College in, Sambalpur. At the primary level, he was an active youth leader of AISF, the student body of the Communist Party. Later, he led the Student Congress.

In 1980, student riots broke out in Gangadhar Meher College. With his leadership, Das was able to get close to the then senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister Janki Ballabh Patnaik. At that time, Das was supported by senior Congress leaders late Rasindhu Bhoi, late Sriballabh Manigarahi, late Banamali Babu, and others.

He was a prominent leader of the state Congress. After holding many positions in the undivided Sambalpur District Congress Committee, he became a member of the Provincial Congress Committee and a member of the All India Congress Committee, then the State Congress Vice President and Working President.

Das’s first attempt to reach the assembly in 2004 when he fought from Jharsuguda on Congress ticket was a failure, however won it the next time he contested in 2009. He was re-elected in 2014 again from Congress’ ticket and remained in the position for a record third time after successfully contesting the 2019 elections this time from BJD. So he always had a personal association working in the Congress party in all the districts of West Odisha. Even after joining BJD, his influence in the youth helped him to become close to Hon’ble Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

He is one of the most influential leaders in Patnaik’s cabinet and Odisha’s politics. Not just that he is also one of the wealthiest ministers of Odisha. In banks across Sambalpur, Bhubaneswar, and Jharsuguda, Odisha’s prominent cities. It is noteworthy that, in his annual property declaration in 2021 Das declared immovable and movable assets worth Rs 34 crore. Among them was a fleet of 145 cars, 80 belonging to him and 65 to his wife Minati Das valued at 15 crore. The list included a Mercedes Benz, declared under his wife’s name.

The election campaign of Das was full of glamour. His campaign in 2009 as a Congress candidate had Bollywood actors Shakti Kapoor and Ashrani campaigning for him. Das won the seat three, twice as a Congress candidate. In 2019, he was made a minister in the Naveen Patnaik government. He also managed a significant place in the cabinet and retained his portfolio in the June 2022 cabinet reshuffle.

Recently he made a buzz in sate and national media after he donated a ‘Kalash’ worth over Rs one crore to Shani Shingnapur Temple in Maharashtra. The Kalash was made of 1.17 kgs of gold and 5 kgs of silver.

It is worth mentioning that, Odisha Health Minister Naba Kishore Das who was shot at Brajarajnagar earlier today succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment at Apollo Hospital in Bhubaneswar. According to the Apollo Hospital authorities, the Health Minister was admitted to the hospital with gunshot wounds to the left chest.

“A team of doctors led by Dr Debashish Nayak immediately attended to and operated on him. On operating was found that a single bullet had entered and exited the body, injuring the heart and left lung and causing massive internal bleeding and injury,” they added. It is to be noted here that the police ASI Gopal Das fired at the Health Minister leaving him critically injured earlier today in Brajrajnagar of Odisha’s Jharsuguda district.

It is worth noting that, the CM has ordered the Crime Branch to probe into the matter. The Crime branch has launched a high-level probe into the matter with a nine member team, whereas the senior officials have been instructed to reach the scene of the crime to take detailed note of the entire matter.