Ramnaguda: The 28th death anniversary of Vijay Anand Patnaik (Bijubabu) was celebrated at Ramnaguda. Bijubabu, the former Chief Minister of Odisha, passed away on April 17, 1997, in New Delhi. He was a man of immense pride, bravery, and visionary leadership. Born on March 5, 1916, Bijubabu was known for his courage and dedication. One of his most remarkable acts was piloting a plane to rescue Indonesia’s President Sukarno, for which he was honored with Indonesia’s highest award, “Bhumiputra.”
After India’s independence, Bijubabu dreamt of transforming Odisha into a prosperous state. He was first elected as a legislator in 1952 from the Jagannath Prasad seat. Having served twice as the Chief Minister of Odisha, he took several progressive steps for the state’s development, especially in the fields of textiles, industry, and aviation. He played a major role in establishing institutions such as Odisha Textiles, Kalinga Tubes, Kalinga Industries, Kalinga Airways, and Kalinga Refrigeration.
Bijubabu was known as the architect of modern Odisha. In honor of his contributions, many institutions in Odisha have been named after him. Today, on his 28th death anniversary, the Ramnaguda BJD family paid tribute to this great leader and former Chief Minister.
His tireless life and unmatched bravery continue to inspire millions of Odias. His dedication to serving the people of Odisha and his legacy as a people’s leader will always remain in the hearts of the people.
Among those attending the ceremony were senior BJD leaders from the Ramnaguda block, including Ranjan Nayak Behera, Kamal Mutuka, Hrushikesh Patra, Anand Paricha, Makar Dhoba, Sanjay Pradhan, Dilip Nayak Behera, Batri Mandangi, Shib Shankar Panda, Nirmala Kamba, Dhableshwar Patra, Sarpanch Surjyarao Kumbirika, Committee Member Lakshmi Kadarka, Sanjiv Ganda, Pedina Venkata, and Prasad Mandangi, along with various other Bijubabu supporters from local Panchayats.