Nandini Satpathy (1931–2006), the first and only woman Chief Minister of Odisha (then Orissa), is well remembered not only for her trailblazing leadership but also for her reformist mindset. Served two terms between 1972 and 1976, Nandini championed the implementation of progressive land ceiling legislation, redistributing land to thousands of marginalised and landless farmers across the state. Nandini remained steadfast in her principles and opposed the decision of the Indira Gandhi Government to impose National Emergency (1975-77).
As the differences between Indira and Nandini deepened, the latter became the target of political vendetta, and eventually she had to quit the ruling party in 1977. Nandini firmly opposed the dowry system, dismantled the tobacco trade mafia, and persistently worked to elevate women’s rights. She was also a pioneer in disaster resilience. On her 95th birth anniversary, Orissa POST captures a few frames of her journey as a stateswoman.
