Bijayananda Patnaik popularly
known as Biju Patnaik was born in Cuttack, Orissa on March 5, 1916. His father
was Laxmi Narayana Patnaik and mother was Ashalata Ray. Although his father was
in judicial service, he was a great nationalist and a prominent leader of the
Oriya Movement. He was closely associated with two architects of modern Orissa
- Utkal Gourav Madhusudan Das and Utkalmani Gopabandhu Das. Biju had hisearly
education in Mission Primary School (Christ Collegiate School) at Cuttack. In
1927 he joined the famous Ravenshaw Collegiate School, where Netaji Subhash
Chandra Bose was once a student. In 1932 he passed Matriculation with first division
and got admitted into the intermediate science class of the famous Ravenshaw
College. During his College days Biju first saw Mahatma Gandhi in 1927 during
the “Khadi Tour” to Orissa and came under his spell. He was assaulted by a British
police officer as he tried to get a glimpse of the Mahatma, who was visiting
Cuttack. Bijudiscontinued studies for B.Sc. Degree to undergo training as a
pilot at the Aeronautic Training Institute of India, Delhi Flying Club. In
fact, as a child Biju was fascinated by aeroplanes and from his school days, he
had decided to make a career in flying. A small aeroplane had landed at Cuttack’s
Killa Fort, when he was a student of Mission School. Biju ran away from school
to touch his dream object. But he was chased away by the security police. “At
that time I had only seen pictures of aeroplanes in books”- He recalled later.
During his study at Ravenshaw
College he was athletic champion for three times. While he was a student of
Ravenshaw Collegiate School at Cuttack he joined hands with Mahatma Gandhi to
remove the British. After studying Aeronautics at the Aeronautical Training
Institute of India, he started his career with Indian National Airways. Subsequently,
he became a Pilot of Indian Air Force and earned great deal of reputation for
his adventure during freedom movement. The Indonesia Government had honoured
him with Bhumi Putra (Son of Soil) title. In 1961 he became the Chief Minister
of Orissa. He started his career in Politics in 1946 and hold the following posts
at different times as follows.
1952 - M.L.A., Bhanjanagar
1957 - M.L.A., Jagannath Prasad
1961 - Chief Minister, Orissa
1968 - M.P., Rajya Sabha
1974 - Opposition Leader
1977 - Minister, Steel &
Mines, Govt.of India
1980 - M.P
1985 - Opposition Leader, State
Assembly
1990-95 - Chief Minister, Orissa
Family :
Biju Patnaik was married to Gyan
Patnaik. Biju Patnaik's 2 sons, name Naveen Pattanayak,Prem Pattanayak & one Daughter name Gita Meheta. Naveen Pattanaik is the current Chief Minister of Odisha. His daughter, Gita Meheta, is an English writer. His
elder son Prem Pattanaik is a Dilhi based industrialist.
Contributions :
1. The Choudwar and Barbil
Industrial Belts
2. The Cuttack-Jagatpur Mahanadi
Highway Bridge
3. The Bhubaneswar Airport
4. Regional College of Education
at Bhubaneswar
5. The Orissa Aviation Centre
6. Paradeep Port
7. The MIG factory at Sunabeda
8. Thermal Power Plant at Talcher
9. Hydro-Electric Project at
Balimela
10. The Orissa University of
Agriculture and Technology
11. Engineering & Medical
Colleges at Burla
12. The Orissa State Planning
Board
13. Reorganisation of districts
14. Ferro Silicon Complex at
Theruvali
15. Engineering College at
Rourkela
16. Express Highway linking
Daitari with Paradeep
17. Sainik School at Bhubaneswar
18. Regional Research Laboratory
of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Orissa
Role in Indian Freedom Struggle:
In 1942, Biju decided to join the
Quit India Movement under the guidance of the Father of the Nation to make
India free. He became a leader of Congress movement with Jay Prakash Narain and
Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia and underwent imprisonment. In 1943, he was sent to
prison for about two years for participating in the Quit India Movement. Aruna
Asaf Ali recalling Biju’s role during this period mentions : “Among the
thousands who came forward to take up the challenge, Biju Patnaik, Chief Pilot
of the DalmiaJain Airways was one of the most fearless who mobilised the fellow
pilots."
Biju Pattanayak The Real Hero
Reviewed by Rajendra
on
12:14
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