Jagannath Temple In London: Know Odisha-Born Businessman Behind The Initiative

Bhubaneswar: The pledge of Rs 250 crore by Odish-born Biswanath Patnaik for the construction of a large Jagannath Temple in London is one of the largest philanthropic contributions to a temple outside India. So, who is this man making news headlines?

For a beginning, Patnaik holds an MBA and a Law degree from Utkal University.

A banker-turned-businessman, he is the chairman and founder of the FinNest Group of companies, which invests in renewables, electric vehicles (EVs), hydrogen locomotives, etc. After working in the banking space for several years, Patnaik stepped into entrepreneurship in 2009. From healthcare, fintech, and renewable energy to gold refinery and bullion trading in Dubai, Patnaik’s investments range across a diverse portfolio.

He opened several firms before buying two more. Among these was a company listed in the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) while another was licensed by the RBI. Biswanath remained focused on the operations of these firms till 2014. Later, he expanded his investments to the fields of healthcare, fintech, retail and renewable energy. He is also into the gold refinery and bullion trading in Dubai, the DNA said in a report.

Earlier this year, Patnaik had shown interest in setting up an EV-Hydrogen truck and commercial heavy vehicles manufacturing plant in Odisha. The project was worth an investment of Rs 500 crore, The New Indian Express said in a report. The proposal will reach the state government soon, the news report said.

Biswanth Patnaik is active in charity circles and makes contributions to UNESCO apart from his donations in India. He is Chairman of an international committee of a Social Action Foundation based out of Delhi, which provides vocational training and education to underprivileged children.

Apart from being the co-owner of a Multispeciality Hospital in Bhubaneswar, Patnaik’s family owns three iron ore, bauxite and paraphyte mines in Odisha, reads his LinkedIn profile. He is also a member of the Banking and Finance Committee of the Indian Merchant Chamber and Industry since March 2021.

In 2019, the UK’s Highway Capital appointed Biswanath Patnaik to its Board of Directors.