Berhampur: Sugyana Kumari Deo, who has been elected to Odisha Assembly for 10 times, has turned the ministerial offer throughout her political career.
This was stated by Dr Ramesh Chandra Chau Patnaik, president of BJD’s Ganjam district unit, during the 86th birthday celebrations of the erstwhile queen of Khallikotes at the KC Public School in Berhampur on Saturday.
Sugyana Kumari, who is the daughter-in-law of Raja Ramchandra Mardaja Deo and wife of Purna Chandra Mardaraj Deo, has been in public life for the last 60 years. From former chief minister late Biju Patnaik to his son and present Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik have requested Deo to be a minister in state Cabinet on numerous occasions, but the queen has turned down the offer all the times, said Chau Patnaik.
Chau Patnaik, who is Chairman of District Planning Board, said he has been associated with ‘Rani Saheba’ for several decades and considers her as his political role model. “Though Sugyana Kumari is in Chennai at present, she frequently enquires about the developmental of Ganjam district over phone. It reflects her love towards Ganjam and its people,” he added.
As Sugyana Kumari does not like to celebrates her birthday, the Mardaraj Utsav Committee in Berhampur pioneered the celebration to wish her a happy and long life.
The royal family of Khallikote has been associated with the formation of separate Odisha state on linguistic basis. The Speaker’s chair in Odisha Legislative Assembly is donated by the royal family, said Chau Patnaik.
Subash Chandra Panda, who was elected as Chairman of the civic body of Rambha for three times since 1974, spoke on the role of Sugyana Kumari during Utkal Sammilani at Rambha in 1983 and her contributions towards development of education, health, road communication and others in Khallikote, Kabisurya Nagar, Hinjili and Chatrapur.
Retired Superintending Engineer Srikant Mahapatra and first vice-chancellor of Khallikote University Prof Manmath Padhi also spoke at the function.
Sugyana was elected to the Assembly from Khallikote constituency eight consecutive times. She was elected twice from Kabisurya Nagar after 2009 due to delimitation of constituencies.
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