attainments and achievements of the legendary hero biju...
TRANSCRIPT
100 December - 2016
Odisha ReviewISSN 0970-8669
Bijayananda Patnaik, commonly called as, Biju
Patnaik, was born on March 5, 1916 in Cuttack
district of Odisha. He was son of Lakshminarayan
Patnaik and Ashalata Ray. Biju’s father
Laksminarayan belonged to Bhanjanagar, Ganjam
but stayed in Cuttack
because Laksminarayan
was in judicial service. Biju
himself was a great
nationalist and a salient
superordinate of the Odia
movement. Biju had his
school time education in
Mission Primary School
which is currently Christ
Collegiate School in
Cuttack. As a child, Biju
was always fascinated by
airplanes & also dreamed
to become a pilot. During
his school time a small aeroplane was landed in
the Cuttack’s Barabati fort and Biju instantly ran
away from his school to see his dream object
closely. The Ravenshaw College, named after
Thomas Edward Ravenshaw (1868 as college;
2006 as university), one of the oldest college and
currently among the best universities of Odisha
was Biju’s alma mater, where Biju did his bachelor
Attainments and Achievementsof the Legendary Hero Biju Patnaik
Sunil Kumar Sahoo
degree. But while chasing his dream to become
an airman, Biju dropped from Ravenshaw College
and joined in the Aeronautic Training Institute of
India at Delhi, to get trained as an airman. Biju’s
dream came true and as a reason of his ambition
and skills he became one
of the best skilled pilot of
his era. Biju Patnaik was
flying with some private
airlines, while he joined the
Royal Indian Air force of
British India at the start of
the Second World War.
Not only Biju earned the
medal of victory but also
became the head of Air
Transport Command in
Royal Indian Air force.
Biju, as an airman, also
used his flying skills in
favour of India along with our friendly
neighbourhood country Indonesia.
Role of Biju in Indian Freedom Struggle :
As among the great nationalists, Biju was
always influenced by Mahatma Gandhi. Biju
joined the Quit India Movement in 1942 under
the guidance of the Mahatma Gandhi. He became
a leader of Congress along with Jay Prakash and
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Odisha Review ISSN 0970-8669
Dr. Ram Manohar. In 1943, due to his actions in
the Quit India Movement, Biju was sent to prison
for about two years.
Shortly after our independence, during the
invasion of Pakistan, Biju, the Chief pilot alone
helped to airlift the first Indian soldiers to the zone
of combat, which was probably the 1st airlift in
history of India and which could only be fulfilled
by such a skilled pilot as Biju. His nationalist
actions didn’t end here, as Biju became a
politician to serve for people of India.
Role of Biju in Indonesian Freedom Struggle
The invincible Bijayananda Patnaik was
also among the few persons to get the highest
honorary award of another country. Biju got the
highest honorary
national award, the
“Bintang Jasa Utama”
of the Indonesia in
1996, during
Indonesia’s 50 th
Independence Day,
which was the highest
Indonesian award,
rarely given to a
foreigner and Biju was
the one and only
person to get such an
award. Before it, Indonesia also granted the
“Bhoomi Putra” award means “Son of the Soil”
to Biju Patnaik. This is due to Biju’s courageous
deeds for rescuing Dr. Sultan Sjahrir, who was
the Prime Minister of Indonesia during 1947.
Indonesia was under Dutch rule from
1816 to 1941. From 1941, Japan took over
Indonesia again. As Japanese collapsed in the
Second World War, the Indonesian freedom
fighter declared their freedom on August 17,
1945. But the European country, Dutch again tried
to acquire Indonesia and started controlling over
Indonesian sea and air. The Dutch wanted control
over Indonesia because Indonesia, as a country,
had more than 13,000 islands and enough sources
for agriculture and textiles.
On March 23, 1947, twenty two Asian
countries were welcomed to India for 1st Inter-
Asia Conference arranged by Dr. Jawaharlal
Nehru, in which Dr. Sjahrir was among the special
guests. But due to total control of Dutch army in
Indonesian air and water, Dr. Sjahrir was unable
to come India for the conference where he was
about to ask help for Dutch attempt of regaining
Indonesia. At the request of Dr. Nehru, the
adventurous Biju, an unmatched pilot, went on a
mission for rescuing
Dr. Sultan Sjahrir from
Indonesia. The brave-
hearted, legendary
Biju Patnaik with his
own Douglas DC-3,
flew to the Java, a city
of Indonesia for
rescuing Dr. Sjahrir.
Biju successfully
accomplished his
mission of rescuing
Dr.Sjahrir. Biju flew
his Douglas DC-3 low, so that he couldn’t be
caught by Dutch radar. Biju fought all the hazards
that came in his way to Indonesia courageously.
The legendary Biju rescued Dr. Sjahrir and came
back India via Singapore on 24 July 1947, one
day before the conference. At the cost of his own
life, Biju successfully accomplished the mission,
which was evenly important for both India and
Indonesia. For such remarkable enactment, Biju
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was also called as the “The Lion of Odisha” or
“Sher-e-Utkal”.
Role of Biju as a Politician :
Not only as an unmatched airman, but
also as a fantabulous politician, Bijayananda
Patnaik left exceptional history that can never be
wiped out from the heart of any Odia. On 23rd
June 1961, Biju Patnaik became the Chief
Minister of Odisha at the age of 45. Biju was
elected to the Lok Sabha in 1977, from
Kendrapada district of Odisha and became Union
Minister of Steel & Mines until 1979. Bijayananda
Patnaik was also re-elected twice to the Lok
Sabha in 1980 and 1984.
As a Minister of Odisha, Biju had
approved so many projects, which are still in
favour of Odisha along with India. Projects of
Bijayananda Patnaik included the Port of Paradip,
Odisha Aviation Centre, Bhubaneswar Airport,
the Cuttack-Jagatpur Mahanadi Highway Bridge,
Regional Engineering College, Sainik School,
Talcher Thermal Power Station, Odisha
University of Agriculture & Technology, NALCO
(National Aluminium Company), Balimela Hydro
Project, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited at
Sunabeda and many more. Biju also established
the Kalinga Cup in football, for the development
of sports in Odisha. Biju also established the
International Kalinga Prize for popularization of
science & technology among the Odias, which is
still in action and supporting many scientists and
researchers for their further experiments.
Biju’s achievements, as a public
representative, were also praiseworthy. Biju
Patnaik set up the Kalinga Tubes, the Kalinga Iron
works, the Kalinga Airlines, the Kalinga
Refractory, the Kalinga daily Odia newspaper and
many more. All his projects are in favour of Odisha
and lakhs of people are earning their daily bread
by working in those projects.
Life History Of The Legendary Biju Patnaik
1916, March 5 – Biju was born
1927 – Joined Ravenshaw College
1927 – Saw Mahatma Gandhi for the 1st time
during his “Khadi Tour” to Odisha
1932 – Passed Matriculation with 1st division
1942 – Joined the Quit India Movement
1943 – Sent to prison for two years
1947, July 22 – Rescued Sjahrir from Java,
Indonesia
1947, July 23 – Came to India along with
Dr. Sjahrir
1952 - M.L.A., Jagannath Prasad
1957 - M.L.A., Sorada
1961 - Chief Minister, Odisha
1966 - M.P., Rajya Sabha
1974 - Opposition Leader
1977 - Minister, Steel & Mines, Government
of India
1980 - M.P., Lok Sabha
1985 - Opposition Leader, State Assembly
1990-95 - Chief Minister, Odisha
1997, April 17 – The Legendary Knight Biju
Died
Attainments & Achievements of The
Legendary Biju Patnaik:
The following were some of the
contributions and achievements that Biju Patnaik
did.
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The Port of Paradip, Odisha
Odisha Aviation Centre,
Bhubaneswar Airport,
The Cuttack-Jagatpur Mahanadi Highway
Bridge,
Regional College of Education,
Sainik School, Bhubaneswar,
Talcher Thermal Power Station, Talcher,
Odisha University of Agriculture &
Technology, Bhubaneswar
NALCO (National Aluminium Company),
Balimela Hydro Project,
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Sunabeda
Engineering & Medical Colleges at Burla
The Orissa State Planning Board
Ferro Silicon Complex at Theruvali
Reorganisation of districts
Daitari-Paradeep Express Highway
Regional Research Laboratory
On 17th April of 1997, Bijayananda
Patnaik, at the age of 81 died and during his
illness, the great Biju mentioned that he would
like to die as a pilot in an air crash rather than
from prolonged sickness. On 5th March every
year, the birth day of Biju Patnaik is observed as
Panchayati Raj Divas and this day is also declared
as a public holiday in the memory of this great
personality. In short, all Odias must be motivated
from his life & always follow his path to make
Odisha more beautiful than it is now. Except Biju
Patnaik, today’s Odisha is impossible to imagine.
Sunil Kumar Sahoo, Kalarahanga, PS: Mancheswar,
Bhubaneswar-751024, Khurdha, E-mail: