The Hindu : National : Nandini Satpathy cremated

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Sunday, Aug 06, 2006

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National

Nandini Satpathy cremated

Staff Reporter

She was Orissa Chief Minister twice

File photo of Nandini Satpathy

BHUBANESWAR: The former Orissa Chief Minister, Nandini Satpathy, who passed away on Friday evening was cremated here on Sarturday afternoon.

Ms. Satpathy was 75 and is survived by two sons. Her elder son, Nachiketa Satpathy is working with a multinational company and the younger son, Tathagat Satpathy, is a sitting Biju Janata Dal MP from Dhenkanal and Editor of the Oriya daily, Dharitri.

Ms. Satpathy, who was ailing for quite some time, was admitted to the Capital Hospital here on Friday afternoon where she died of cardiac arrest at 8.20 p.m.

As a member of the Congress, Ms. Satpathy was first elected to the Rajya Sabha in 1962 when she was 31. She was Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting between 1966 and 1969.

A close associate of Indira Gandhi and known for her administrative skills, Ms. Satpathy was the second woman to become Chief Minister in independent India.

Ms. Satpathy was elected to the Orissa Assembly seven times in a row between 1972 and 2000 when she decided quit active politics. She was Chief Minister for two terms. A known Oriya writer, her works were translated and published in a number of languages.

Born on June 9, 1931 at Cuttack, Ms. Satpathy was the daughter of well-known Oriya writer and poet Kalindi Charan Panigrahi. As a student, she actively participated in the freedom movement. She was married to the late Debendra Satpathy, a former MP.

Governor Rameshwar Thakur, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, the Leader of the Opposition, J.B. Patnaik, and several others visited her Surya Nagar residence to pay their last respects to the departed leader.

Her body was taken to Dhenkanal on Saturday morning where thousands of people paid their homage to the late leader. Later in the day, the body was brought back to Bhubaneswar for cremation. The Chief Minister, several Ministers and family members were present when the body was consigned to the flames with full state honours.

The Orissa Assembly condoled Ms. Satpathy's death, hailing her as a ``lifelong revolutionary'' and the proceedings were adjourned for the day. The condolence motion was moved by the Chief Minister who described Ms. Satpathy as a great leader and writer of eminence who translated Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen's Lajja into Oriya.

The State, which observed Saturday a holiday, has declared a three-day mourning as a mark of respect to the departed leader.

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