Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who turned 76 on Sunday, has been in the top post for 22 years now.
However, he skipped birthday celebrations for the fifth year in a row. Earlier, Naveen chose not to celebrate the occasion in 2018 due to Cyclone Titli, followed by Cyclone Fani in 2019 and in 2020 as well as 2021 in view of the Covid-19 pandemic.
He was born in Cuttack on October 16, 1946. His father Bijayananda (Biju) Patnaik was a well-known figure in the freedom movement and a prominent politician in Odisha. Legendary Biju Patnaik served twice (1961–62 and 1990–95) as the state’s chief minister.
Naveen Patnaik completed his B.A. degree from the University of Delhi in 1967, became a writer and for several following years he lived abroad. However, he returned to India before his father’s death in April 1997.
After the death of Biju Patnaik, Naveen was elected as a Lok Sabha member in the by-election from Aska constituency in Odisha. After a brief stint as a Union Minister, Naveen moved to Odisha and has been the state’s Chief Minister since 2000.
BJD President Naveen Patnaik offers sweets to INLD chief O.P. Chautala while Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee looks on at the Prime Minister’s residence in New Delhi after the BJD-BJP alliance swept the Assembly election in Odisha.
Former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee addressing news reporters at Biju Patnaik Airport at Bhuhaneshwar after conducting aerial survey of cyclone affected Ganjam district. Giridhar Gamang and BJD president Naveen Patnaik are also seen.
Naveen Patnaik with traditional headgear and then Union minister of the state for Railways Digvijay Singh at a function in Balangir.
Union Minister Menaka Gandhi discussing with Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik at the latter’s residence.
Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik and Captain Rakesh Sharma during the latter’s visit to the state.
In December 1997 he established Biju Janata Dal (BJD). In 2000, BJD won majority of seats in alliance with BJP in the Odisha Assembly elections and Naveen was sworn in as the Chief Minister. He has been Chief Minister for five consecutive terms with successive electoral victories (2000, 2004, 2009, 2014, 2019).
