CM Naveen Patnaik, Dhenkanal MP and Editor of Dharitri and Orissa POST Tathagata Satpathy, health minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, tourism minister Ashok Chandra Panda, Kandhamal MP Pratyusha Rajeswari Singh, Bhubaneswar MP Prasanna Patsani, MLAs Bijaya Kumar Mohanty and Sashi Bhusan Behera at the unveiling of the statue of former CM Nandini Satpathy near Raj Bhawan ThursdayOP Photo
Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, June 9: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik unveiled the first statue of former chief minister and firebrand leader Nandini Satpathy in the state capital on her 85th birth anniversary Thursday.
When Patnaik unveiled the 10-ft-tall lifesize bronze statue of Orissa’s only woman chief minister near Raj Bhawan, the whole area reverberated with the slogan ‘Nadini Satpathy amar rahe’ (Long live, Nandini Satpathy). The statue was built by BSV Prasad, a renowned sculptor from Vijayawada, with Rs 5.8 lakh provided by the state culture department.
“On her birth anniversary, unveiled statue and paid tributes to first woman chief minister of Orissa,” Patnaik tweeted after the ceremony, the tweet accompanied by a poster of Nandini Satpathy. In another tweet, Patnaik said, “Humble tributes to noted litterateur and former CM of Orissa on her birth anniversary.” Speaking to the media later, Patnaik described Satpathy as “a good administrator”.
Tourism and culture minister Ashok Kumar Panda, also present at the ceremony, said Nandini Satpathy played a vital role in empowering women in the state and her leadership serves as an inspiration for women and girls.
Thanking the CM for unveiling the statue, Dhenkanal MP and the former CM’s son Tathagata Satpathy said, “She was not only my mother and CM of the state, she was also a well-known litterateur, politician and a frontline woman leader who always thought for the poor people. She empowered the state’s women in a big way”.
Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra, who also paid floral tributes at the statue, said, “Nadini Devi has made an immense contribution for the development of our people, especially the poor. She fought for the poor people since her student life.”
Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Prasad Harichandan said after paying a floral tributes at the statue, “We are very happy that a statue of the great leader was unveiled in the capital city. Her leadership was spread throughout the country. She played a vital role in strengthening Congress in Orissa”.
Among others who paid tributes to the former CM included information and public relations minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, Kandhamal MP Pratyusha Rajeswari Singh, Bhubaneswar MP Prasanna Patsani, Bhubaneswar Mayor Ananta Narayan Jena, Talcher MLA Braja Kishore Pradhan, local MLA Bijay Mohanty, senior MLA Sashibhusan Behera and I&PR secretary Manoranjan Panigrahi.
Leaders of various political parties and social organisations and people from various sections of society lined up at the venue to pay tribute to the veteran leader.
Born at Pithapur village in Cuttack district June 9, 1931, Nandini Satpathy served as the chief minister for two terms. She was elected to the Assembly seven times in a row between 1972 and 2000. She quit active politics in 2000. She was also the second woman chief minister in the country.
She was first elected to Rajya Sabha in 1962 at the age of 31. Later, she served as the minister of state for information and broadcasting from 1966 and 1969. Apart from being a people’s leader par excellence, she was a well-known litterateur. She was bestowed with Sahitya Bharati Samman in 1998 for her contribution to Oriya literature.
