Bhubaneswar: Former legislator of Mohana Assembly constituency and head of the erstwhile Sanakhemundi royal family, Uday Narayan Dev, passed away while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Bhubaneswar. He was 87.
Born on 20th October 1935, Dev was active in social activities from a young age. He was elected MLA three consecutive times in 1974, 1977, and 1980 from Mohana Assembly constituency.
Besides politics, he was interested in painting, writing, and the study of wildlife and nature. He has been recognised as an eminent ornithologist who had recently released his most exhaustive work on birds ‘Vihanga Samhita’, a book of more than 2,085 birds. It was released by Governor Prof Ganeshi Lal on January 21.
He had built a bird museum to train youths in ornithology as a part of his ‘Project Vihanga’ in Chilika. He has also been honoured with the Biju Patnaik Award for Wildlife Conservation for his contribution to avian research and conservation as well as popularisation and Doctor of Science degree by the OUAT.
