ASHOK B SHARMA
Last disciple of the veteran statesman and politician late Dr Harekrushna Mahatab in active politics Janaki Ballabh Patnaik passed away in Tirupati early on Tuesday. He was 89.
Panaik was a three-time Chief Minister of Odisha and former Governor of Assam. He was also a prominent leader of the Congress party.
The veteran Congress leader was admitted to a hospital in the temple town following a chest pain around mid-night but could not be saved, his family said.
Patnaik was in Tirupati to attend the convocation ceremony of the Rashtriya Sanskrit University.
Odisha Governor S C Jamir and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik condoled the death of Patnaik while the state government announced holiday today as a mark of respect to the departed leader.
His body will be brought to Bhubaneswar this afternoon and last rites is likely to be performed in Puri tomorrow.
J B Patnaik was born on 3rd January, 1927. He first became chief minister of Odisha in 1980 and was in power till 1989. He returned for a four-year stint in 1995. He held the post of chief minister of Odisha for the longest time on record before the incumbent Naveen Patnaik.
He was also Governor of Assam from 2009 to 2014 besides being in the Union Cabinet of Indira Gandhi.
Mr Patnaik passed out with a bachelor degree in Sanskrit from the Utkal University of Odisha in 1947 and secured an MA degree in Political Science from the Banaras Hindu University in 1949. He had written a number of books on religion and literature which had won thousands of hearts.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and galaxy of leaders across all political parties have deeply condoled the death of JB Patnaik. The state government has declared today a holiday and seven days state mourning as a respect to the legendary leader of Odisha.