JB was an inspring teacher, says Majhi

Bhubaneswar: On the birth centenary of former Odisha chief minister Janaki Ballabh Patnaik, leaders, cutting across party lines, on Saturday praised him as an inspiring guru, a visionary statesman and a rare confluence of literature, culture and politics.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, BJD president and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik, senior Congress leaders and several other political figures gathered here to commemorate the centenary of Janaki Ballabh Patnaik, popularly known as JB, who was born in Khurda district on January 3, 1927.

Addressing the gathering, Majhi paid tributes to the former Congress leader, who served as Odisha chief minister thrice between 1980 and 1989 and again from 1995 to 1999, and later as Assam Governor from 2009 to 2014. He said JB’s life offered lessons in perseverance, patience and dedication to public service.

“For many in State politics, Janaki Ballabh Patnaik was an inspiring teacher. His life teaches us to work continuously without getting distracted by challenges,” Majhi said. The Chief Minister said JB was admired for his culture-conscious personality and leadership qualities, highlighting his contributions to the promotion of Odia language, literature and culture, and his ability to sustain leadership through organisational skills and determination. He also described him as a journalist, editor, scholar, translator and Sanskrit expert.

In a video message, Naveen Patnaik said JB Patnaik made immense contributions to Odisha’s literature, culture, arts, journalism and politics, describing him as a “tribeni sangam” of these fields. Recalling JB’s tenure as Leader of Opposition from 2004 to 2009, Naveen Patnaik said his critical analysis and deep understanding of Odisha’s socio-cultural issues were valuable for the State’s development.

Veteran Congress leader and former Karnataka chief minister M Veerappa Moily described JB Patnaik as a guru, an “ajatashatru” (one with no enemy) and a statesman with vision.

Congress MP and AICC general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala said JB had pioneered the Rs 2 per kg rice scheme for the poor in the late 1980s, which he described as a precursor to the National Food Security Act.

He also credited JB with initiating cluster-based industrialisation and the Upper Indravati irrigation project in Kalahandi to address food scarcity. The programme was organised by the J B Patnaik Satvarshiki Coordination Committee. JB Patnaik died on April 21, 2015.