Bhubaneswar: Former Union Minister Dr Debendra Pradhan, father of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, passed away today. He was 84.
He breathed his last at his son’s residence in Delhi at 10:30 am. The body of Pradhan is expected to reach Bhubaneswar at around 4 pm today. His last rites will be performed at Puri Swargadwar.
A veteran politician, Debendra Pradhan had served as the Minister of State for Surface Transport and Agriculture in the previous NDA government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee between 1999 and 2004. He had also held various key positions in the party, including serving as the state president three times. Additionally, he was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Deogarh constituency twice.
Pradhan was born on July 16, 1941, to Maheswar Pradhan and Chandrama Debi. He completed MBBS from SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack in 1966. Pradhan began his professional journey as an Assistant Medical Officer at Dera in Talcher in 1967. However, after six years of service, he opted for voluntary retirement and ventured into private practice in 1973. His entry into politics came in 1980 when he joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), marking the beginning of a distinguished political career.
He was elected as a Member of Parliament to 12th Loka Shabha from Deogarh Parliamentary Constituency, Odisha, in 1998.
