Debendra’s last rites performed at Swargadwar

Puri: The last rites of veteran BJP leader and former Union minister Debendra Pradhan were performed with full State honours at Swargadwar in Puri on Tuesday. On the occasion, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and other dignitaries were present and paid their tributes to Debendra Pradhan who died on Monday morning due to age-related ailments. He was 84.

“The mortal remains of Pradhan were consigned to flames at Swargadwar here with full State honours,” an official said. Amid chanting of Sanskrit slokas, Pradhan’s elder son Soumendra lit the funeral pyre after the Odisha Police accorded the guard of honour to the departed leader.

His younger son and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan was also present.

‘Dr Debendra Pradhan amar rahe’ slogan reverberated through the air at the Swargadwar.

Puri MP Sambit Patra, Yoga Guru Baba Ram Dev, several Odisha ministers and BJP leaders from the Centre and the State attended the funeral. Debendra Pradhan was a Union minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government and was a three-time president of the BJP in Odisha. He was also the national vice-president of the BJP in 2001-2002.

Debendra Pradhan breathed his last at his son’s official residence at Teen Murti Lane in New Delhi. He is survived by his wife Basanta Manjari Pradhan and two sons.

Leaders from various political parties visited Pradhan’s residence and paid floral tributes to the departed soul. Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly and former chief minister Naveen Patnaik, former minister Bijay Mohapatra and former MLA Soumya Ranjan Patnaik visited Pradhan’s house at Chandrasekharpur and paid their last respects.

“Thousands of people have gathered here to pay their last respects...Dr Debendra Pradhan has done a lot for the BJP in the State. The BJP formed government today in Odisha and Pradhan ji had laid the foundation of it in the early days. I pray that his family has the strength to bear this loss,” Majhi said. The people visited Pradhan’s house till late night and paid their respects.

Debendra Pradhan’s body was taken in a procession from his house to Puri.