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Jai
Jagannath,
Today is 93nd birth
anniversary of architect of Orissa Sri. Biju Patnaik (1916–1997).
Son of Lakshminarayan and Ashalata Patnaik, Sri. Bijayananda Patnaik
was born in Cuttack, Orissa (India) on March 5, 1916. His Last words
:
"In my dream of
the 21st 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."
A Lion man called "Biju Patanaik" :
• As a fighter helicopter pilot he displayed exemplary skilled stunt
and courage by airlifting the helpless revolutionary leaders of
Indonesia from the claws of Dutch air Defense. He was rightly
honored by "Bhumiputra", the Indonesian Government with the highest
citizen award of that country.
• He dared to land the first platoon of troops amidst surrounded
attack by Pakistani raiders when he was the head of the air
transport command of Indian Air force.
• At childhood he once broke the police cordon to touch an aero
plane. At youth he formed Orissa Aviation with a cavalry of 13
passenger planes.
• He could swim across the river Mahanadi in one spate.
• As a student in Ravenshaw College he undertook an adventurous
journey by bicycle from Cuttack to Peshwar, a distance of 4500
miles.
• As a football player, he always dominated the playground.
• As a leader no one could dare stand straight in front of him.
He is non other than Late Sri. Bijayananda
Pattnaik popularly known as "Odissa ra
Baraputra Sri. Biju Patnaik"
His gifts to Orissa :
• Re structuring, modernizing, repairing of Puri Sri Jagannath
Temple.
• Paradeep Port that backbones Orissa Export promotions and Economy
cavalry.
• Hirakud Dam the heart of Orissa, that beats and spreads life line
and energy to all orissa.
• Orissa Aviation Center at Chowdwar.
• Choudwar and Barbil industrial belts.
• MIG factory at Sunabeda Koraput.
• Thermal Power Station, Talcher
• Express Highway connecting the iron ore deposits of Sukinda with
Paradeep
• Hydro Electric Power Project Balimela
• Regional Engineering College of Rourkela
• Sainik School and Regional College of Education at Bhubaneswar and
Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology at Bhubaneswar.
• The name of Kalinga was so dear to Biju Babu that he set up
Kalinga Tubes, Kalinga Airways, Kalinga Iron Work, Kalinga
Refractory and the Kalinga, a daily Oriya Newspaper.
• In 1951 he established the international Kalinga Prize for
popularization of Science and Technology among the people and
entrusted the responsibility to the UNESCO.
• Ferro Silicon Complex at Theruvali.
Brief Biography :
He studied Aeronautics at the Aeronautical Training Institute of
India. He joined the Indian National Airways, where he was involved
with the war effort from 1940 to 1942. He was thereafter imprisoned
until 1945 due to his activism efforts with the Quit India Movement.
Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, Gopabandhu Dash, and Madhusudhan Das,
Patnaik dedicated himself to the Indian Freedom Movement. Patnaik
was closely associated with the Nepalese Democratic Movement since
1953 and he was also instrumental in assisting Indonesia with its
bout for Independence from the Dutch in 1947. Using his piloting
skills, Patnaik was able to fly Indonesian Prime Minister Sultan
Sjahrir and staff to Singapore, and finally to Delhi where Sjahrir
was able to meet Jawaharlal Nehru. And so, the indebted Indonesia
conferred the highest civilian award, Bhumi Putra to this valiant
personality and even it is heard that the Indonesia government
offered a huge land to him which he returned back politely. Nehru
affectionately called Patnaik "India's buccaneer". During his time
in the Parliament of India, Nehru said of him, "Biju Patnaik has the
courage, dynamism, and zeal to work. So there is no blunder in
giving more aid to Orissa."
Politics :
Patnaik was also the Chief Minister of Orissa from 1961 to 1963, as
well as for a second term starting in 1990 until 1995. He was also a
prominent member of both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.
Patnaik's political ideals were centered in socialism and
federalism. His strong advocacy for equal resources to all Indian
states who needed such, made him a champion of his Oriyan
constituents. He was a minister with cabinet rank in Morarji Desai
Ministry.
Family :
Biju Patnaik's son, Navin Patnaik, is the current Chief Minister of
Orissa. His daughter, Gita Mehta, is a well known writer. He died in
New Delhi on April 17, 1997 of cardio-respiratory failure. In 1992,
Bijayananda Patnaik left this quote for the people of Orissa.
A hats off salute to the discoverer of Orissa.
Regards
Nilachakra
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