Biju Patnaik, the former Chief Minister of Odisha, embodies the essence of immortality through his remarkable deeds and heroic actions. As the architect of modern Odisha, he created, changed, and shaped the history of the state, leaving an indelible mark on its development.
Born on March 5, 1916, Biju Patnaik dedicated his life to the emancipation of Odisha from poverty and negligence, serving the country for over six decades. His unwavering commitment to the welfare of the people earned him the affectionate titles of ‘Hero of Kalinga’ and ‘Kharavela of Kalinga.’
As a visionary leader, Biju Patnaik’s contributions to Odisha’s growth and development are multifaceted. He played a crucial role in establishing the state’s industrial foundation like Paradip Port and many more, promoting education, and developing infrastructure. In short, modern Odisha cannot be imagined without his pioneering efforts.
Most importantly, his impressive deeds caught the attention of India’s first Prime Minister, who admired his courage and dynamism.
Today, on Biju Patnaik’s birth anniversary, Ommcom News delves into the fascinating bond he shared with India’s first Prime Minister.
Biju Patnaik’s tenure as Odisha’s Chief Minister was marked by a significant milestone – securing substantial aid from the Centre, courtesy of then-Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. This move, however, sparked controversy, with Nehru facing criticism in Parliament for his decision to allocate more funds to Odisha.
In a moment that would go down in history, Prime Minister Nehru lavished praise on Patnaik, the dynamic Chief Minister of Odisha. When the Opposition questioned Nehru about the generous allocation of funds to Odisha, he delivered a resounding endorsement of Patnaik’s exceptional leadership.
“Biju Patnaik has the courage, dynamism, and zeal to work. So, there is no blunder in giving more aid to Orissa,” Nehru had replied.
This ringing endorsement from Nehru speaks volumes about Patnaik’s extraordinary talent, vision, and unwavering commitment to Odisha’s development. As a trailblazing leader, Patnaik’s contributions to the state’s growth and transformation were nothing short of remarkable.
Patnaik shared a special bond with India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, that went beyond politics. Their relationship was built on mutual respect, trust, and admiration.
Their bond was so strong that Patnaik would often take Nehru on outings, including a memorable trip to a cinema hall to watch a film at a night show, all without any security.
In a revelation during an interview, Patnaik recounted how he had once taken Nehru to a cinema hall to watch a film at a night show – sans any security.
Patnaik recalled his informal visit to Nehru’s residence at 8 pm, highlighting the simplicity of those times. “In the past, nobody received special treatment, not even the Prime Minister.”
Patnaik then shared how Nehru, intrigued by the film, decided to watch it too. Without hesitation, they hailed a taxi, sans security, and headed to the cinema. The scene at the cinema hall was equally understated, with people happy to see Nehru but not making a fuss.
Biju Patnaik was quoted saying, “In the old days, nobody received any special benefits. Not even the Prime Minister. I remember even Nehru did not have peons at his beck and call. On one occasion, I dropped in to see him at 8 p.m. I had just returned from a wonderful film at Rivoli. I told him about the film and suddenly, on an impulse, he decided that he wanted to see it. His devoted assistant Mathai, went down to fetch the driver but he had left. So, without any fuss, we hailed a taxi and proceeded to the cinema–no security nothing. And even at the cinema hall, there was no fuss, people were happy to see him but that was all. So that was the state of affairs then.”
By Rashmi Rekha Das
