Bhubaneswar: Noted trade union leader and former Odisha MLA George Tirkey died early Saturday, his family said.
He was 67.
Tirkey, who was undergoing treatment at a hospital here for the last three months due to several health issues, died around 1 am.
His last rites will be performed at his ancestral village Jhunmur, in Sundergarh district.
Tirkey was elected to the assembly four times — 1995, 2000, 2009 and 2014 — from Biramitrapur assembly segment in Sundergarh district.
A popular tribal leader, Tirkey was elected twice on a JMM ticket, and once each as an Independent candidate and a nominee of Samata Kranti Dal, founded by him.
His son Rohit Joseph Tirkey was elected to Biramitrapur assembly segment in 2024 on a BJD ticket.
Former chief minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik expressed condolences over Tirkey’s demise.
In a post on X, he said, “I am deeply saddened to know about the demise of senior politician and former MLA of Sundergarh’s Biramitrapur, George Tirkey. His lifelong contribution to public service is unparalleled. His work for the welfare of the people will always be remembered. I pray for eternal peace to his departed soul and express my condolences to the bereaved family members.”
ବରିଷ୍ଠ ରାଜନେତା ତଥା ସୁନ୍ଦରଗଡ଼ ବୀରମିତ୍ରପୁରର ପୂର୍ବତନ ବିଧାୟକ ଜର୍ଜ ତିର୍କୀଙ୍କ ଦେହାନ୍ତ ବିଷୟରେ ଜାଣି ମୁଁ ଗଭୀର ଦୁଃଖିତ। ଜନସେବା କ୍ଷେତ୍ରରେ ତାଙ୍କର ଜୀବନବ୍ୟାପୀ ଅବଦାନ ଅତୁଳନୀୟ। ଲୋକଙ୍କ କଲ୍ୟାଣ ପାଇଁ ତାଙ୍କର କାର୍ଯ୍ୟ ସବୁବେଳେ ସ୍ମରଣୀୟ ରହିବ। ତାଙ୍କ ଅମର ଆତ୍ମାର ସଦଗତି କାମନା କରିବା ସହ ଶୋକସନ୍ତପ୍ତ ପରିବାର ସଦସ୍ୟଙ୍କ…
— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) September 20, 2025
Deputy Chief Minister K V Singh Deo said, “Deeply saddened by the passing of George Tirkey ji, former MLA from Biramitrapur and a respected voice from Sundergarh. His decades of public service — across four terms in the Odisha Assembly — reflected a deep commitment to tribal rights, grassroots leadership, and principled politics. Odisha has lost a dedicated son of the soil. May Mahaprabhu Shri Jagannath bless his soul and give strength to his family and admirers in this hour of grief.”
ସୁନ୍ଦରଗଡ଼ ଜିଲ୍ଲା ବୀରମିତ୍ରପୁରର ପୂର୍ବତନ ବିଧାୟକ ତଥା ଜନଜାତି ନେତା ଜର୍ଜ ତିର୍କିଙ୍କ ବିୟୋଗ ଖବର ଶୁଣି ମୁଁ ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ ଦୁଃଖିତ ଏବଂ ମର୍ମାହତ। ଜନପ୍ରତିନିଧି ଭାବେ ତାଙ୍କର ଅବଦାନ ଚିର ସ୍ମରଣୀୟ ହୋଇ ରହିବ। ତାଙ୍କ ଅମର ଆତ୍ମାର ସଦଗତି କାମନା କରିବା ସହ ଶୋକସନ୍ତପ୍ତ ପରିବାର ବର୍ଗଙ୍କୁ ମୋର ଗଭୀର ସମବେଦନା ଜ୍ଞାପନ କରୁଅଛି।
ଓଁ… pic.twitter.com/FpBkfBM8JO
— Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo (Modiji Ka Parivar) (@KVSinghDeo1) September 20, 2025
Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Bhakta Charan Das also condoled Tirkey’s death.
“I am saddened by the death of George Tirkey and pray to the Almighty for peace to his soul. I convey my condolences to the bereaved family,” he added.
