Former Odisha Assembly Speaker, BJD MLA Surjya Narayan Patro Passes Away At 75. CM Patnaik Pays Tributes

Patro's political career saw him win the Assembly elections for seven consecutive terms. He was first elected as an MLA in 1990 from Mohana, winning four consecutive terms until 2009.

From 2009 onwards, Patro served as the MLA of Digapahandi for three consecutive terms.

Former Odisha Speaker and Digapahandi MLA, Surjya Narayan Patro, breathed his last at a private hospital in Bhubaneswar on Saturday. The 75-year-old legislator had been admitted to the hospital in the afternoon due to a deteriorating health condition.

BJD MLA & former Odisha Assembly Speaker Surjya Narayan Patro passed away at the age of 75 at a private hospital in Bhubaneswar.

(file pic) pic.twitter.com/ssZ6NPw6vg

— ANI (@ANI) September 2, 2023

Surjya Narayan Patro, a seven-time legislator, served as the sitting BJD MLA of Digapahandi. His passing has prompted expressions of deep grief from Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who hailed Patro as an efficient administrator and organiser. The Chief Minister extended condolences to the bereaved family and wished the departed soul peace, in a social media post on X (formerly Twitter).

ପୂର୍ବତନ ବାଚସ୍ପତି, ମନ୍ତ୍ରୀ ତଥା ବିଜୁ ଜନତା ଦଳର ବରିଷ୍ଠ ନେତା, ବିଧାୟକ ସୂର୍ଯ୍ୟ ନାରାୟଣ ପାତ୍ରଙ୍କ ଦେହାନ୍ତ ବିଷୟରେ ଜାଣି ମୁଁ ଦୁଃଖିତ। ଗଞ୍ଜାମବାସୀଙ୍କ ସେବାରେ ତାଙ୍କର ଉତ୍ସର୍ଗୀକୃତ ଜୀବନ ସର୍ବଦା ସ୍ମରଣୀୟ ରହିବ। ବିଜୁ ଜନତା ଦଳକୁ ସଙ୍ଗଠିତ କରିବାରେ ତାଙ୍କର ବହୁମୂଲ୍ୟ ଯୋଗଦାନ ଆମ ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କ ପାଇଁ ପ୍ରେରଣାଦାୟୀ। ଏହା…

— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) September 2, 2023

Born on December 24, 1948, in Berhampur, Ganjam, Surjya Narayan Patro pursued his education with a BSc and LLB degree before embarking on a career in social service and politics. In 1977, he became the Municipal Councillor of Berhampur.

Patro's political career saw him win the Assembly elections for seven consecutive terms. He was first elected as an MLA in 1990 from Mohana, winning four consecutive terms until 2009. Initially representing the Janata Dal, he later secured victories from the same constituency on a BJD ticket.

From 2009 onwards, Patro served as the MLA of Digapahandi for three consecutive terms. During his tenure as a minister in the Biju Patnaik and Naveen Patnaik governments, he held various significant portfolios, including Forest and Environment, Energy, Tourism, IT, Culture, Revenue, Information and Public Relations, Food Supply, and Consumer Welfare.

Surjya Narayan Patro assumed the role of the Speaker of the Odisha Assembly in 2019 and subsequently resigned from the position in 2022.