Chhenapoda.com

Odisha, formerly known as Orissa is a state of famous writers, poets, painters, athletes, singers, actors, freedom fighters, Odissi dancers and politicians. To name one stand-out personality among them in particular is no less than a Herculean effort. After much fine-tuning, I have taken a really tough call to write something on a very notable and extraordinary freedom fighter and politician-Biju Patnaik. This article is dedicated to this very great man.

Biju Patnaik, or Bijaynanda Patnaik, the uncrowned hero of Kalinga, maker of new Odisha, and formidable personality of Odia politics, was born in Cuttack, Odisha on March 5, 1916. Biju babu, as he was fondly called by his followers was a towering and multi-dimensional personality no less than a colossus in every sense of the term. This legendary leader and idol of the masses had almost a hectic and uninterrupted political career serving his state and the country in different capacities.

Early Life

Biju babu was indeed lucky to be born in a patriotic family. Lakshminarayan Patnaik, his father was a natural inhabitant of the village Nuagaon in Ghumushar area in Ganjam district. The history of Ghumushar is the endless story of rare glory, greatness, glamour and patriotism all through the pages of history. His mother, Ashalata Devi, came from a Bengali family who had sacrificed their lives in the struggle for freedom. Biju inherited the undaunted spirit of his patriotic father and mother. Biju Patnaik’s life has, indeed, been one of challenges and adventures. These traits in his character led him to many spectacular achievements.

Biju studied Aeronautics at the Aeronautical Training Institute of India. He became an ace-pilot. During World War II he did not join the Indian Air Force which attracted many young Indians but became a dare devil transport pilot. During those war days, he met a Kashmir girl, Gyan in Delhi. Very soon they got married in 1939.

Ascent as a political figure and industrialist

Biju Patnaik was imprisoned until 1945 due to his participation in the Quit India Movement. He had also plunged headlong into the Nepalese Democratic Movement and Indonesia’s struggle for independence from the Dutch. He flew out the then Indonesian Prime Minister Sultan Sjahrir to Singapore, and then to Delhi where Sjahrir met Jawaharlal Nehru. After independence, the grateful Indonesian government subsequently conferred its highest civilian award, Bhumiputra to him.

In 1961, he assumed the presidency of the State Congress. Under his leadership, the Congress Party won 82 of 140 seats and Mr. Patnaik became the Chief Minister of Odisha on 23 June, 1961 and remained in the position until 2 October, 1963. Due to his strong initiative, the construction of Paradip port and Sunabeda MIG factory was started.

In Odisha, Biju Patnaik embarked on the path of industrialization and development. Ambitious and enterprising as he was from his boyhood, Biju Patnaik always cherished a dream to industrialize Odisha and turn himself into a top-flight industrialist by setting up large industries in his state without any help from capitalists like the Tatas or the Birlas and show to the people in Odisha that it was possible for them to take up big enterprises on their own.

Soon, he set up other industries like Kalinga Tubes, Kalinga Ironworks, and Kalinga Refrigerator Corporation and in fact became a monarch of an industrial empire in Odisha.

Works towards charity and re-election as Chief Minister

Biju Patnaik was a doer. Be it freedom movement, politics or charity-he was the leader who led by examples. All his earnings and income derived from his business activities were invested in Odisha for the purpose of setting up of industries and development of scientific and technical education in Odisha. In 1947, he founded a public charitable trust called the Kalinga Foundation Trust and in 1951, he established the international Kalinga Prize for popularisation of Science and Technology among the people and entrusted the responsibility to the UNESCO. He also established the Kalinga Cup in football.

In 1990 state assembly elections, the Janata Dal received a thumping majority, which saw Biju Patnaik being the Chief Minister of Odisha for the second time after a long gap of 27 years. In 1992, Biju babu left this quote for the people of Odisha:

“In my dream of the 21^st century for the state, I would have young men and women who put the interest of the state before them.  They will have pride in themselves, confidence in themselves. They will not be at anybody’s mercy, except their own selves. By their brains, intelligence and capacity, they will recapture the history of Kalinga”.

Golden words indeed..!!

In the memory of Biju Patnaik

Mr. Patnaik was no ordinary man, and this proves in the number of memories created on his name. The government of Odisha has named several institutions after his name, The Biju Patnaik University of Technology (BPUT) being the most prominent one. The Biju Patnaik airport at Bhubaneswar, the capital of Odisha is another sign of honour in memory of this great man.

In addition, during his second term of Chief Minister Ship, the Panchayat Raj movement gained momentum under his dynamic leadership. As a mark his profound love for Panchayat Raj institution, the people of Odisha observe his birthday (March 5) as Panchayat Raj Divas.

Last few Days

The “son of the soil” breathed his last on 17 April, 1997 at the age of eighty-one. The whole country was stunned by his untimely death. The nation had lost a valiant soldier. His very own son and able successor, Naveen Patnaik, another long-standing Chief Minister till date very aptly remarked- “Biju Patnaik made the impossible possible”. Such was his stature, gigantic were his deeds.

The Ironman of ODISHA, we salute the real founder of ODISHA-The Biju Patnaik.

Reference :http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biju_Patnaik