New Delhi: Eminent neurosurgeon and Padma Shri awardee Prof. (Dr) Ashok Kumar Mahapatra passed away at at 9.15 pm in New Delhi on Monday. He was 74.
Former Vice-Chancellor of SOA Deemed-to-be University, Mahapatra was serving as Principal Advisor, Health Science.
He had been undergoing treatment at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, since October 2.
He was initially admitted to SUM Hospital in Bhubaneswar after complaining of severe head pain. Subsequently, he was shifted to AIIMS Delhi, accompanied by a specialist medical team, for further treatment.
His condition deteriorated earlier in the day and he was reported to be in critical condition.
Dr Mahapatra, who served as founding director of AIIMS Bhubaneswar after a long stint at AIIMS Delhi, is widely acclaimed for leading the historic separation surgery of Odisha’s conjoined twins Jaga-Balia in 2017.
One of the most respected names in Indian neurosurgery, Dr Mahapatra was conferred the Padma Shri in 2024, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to neurosurgery and medical education.
The medical fraternity and the entire state of was saddened by Mahapatra’s demise.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi paid glowing tributes to the acclaimed neurosurgeon.
“Hearing the news of the demise of the renowned medical expert and Padma Shri Professor (Dr.) Ashok Kumar Mahapatra, I am deeply saddened. As a distinguished neurosurgeon of the country and a pioneering figure in the world of medical science, he enriched the field of healthcare while bringing pride to Odisha and the entire nation. His remarkable contributions to medical services and research will forever remain unforgettable. In this hour of grief, I convey my deepest condolences to the bereaved family members, and I pray at the lotus feet of Lord Shri Jagannath for the peaceful departure of the departed soul. Om Shanti,” Majhi wrote on X.
ବିଶିଷ୍ଟ ଚିକିତ୍ସାବିତ୍ ତଥା ପଦ୍ମଶ୍ରୀ ପ୍ରଫେସର (ଡା.) ଅଶୋକ କୁମାର ମହାପାତ୍ରଙ୍କ ବିୟୋଗ ଖବର ଶୁଣି ମୁଁ ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ ଦୁଃଖିତ।
ଦେଶର ଜଣେ ବିଶିଷ୍ଟ ନ୍ୟୁରୋସର୍ଜନ ତଥା ଚିକିତ୍ସା ବିଜ୍ଞାନ ଜଗତର ଅଗ୍ରଣୀ ବ୍ୟକ୍ତିତ୍ୱ ଭାବରେ ସେ ସ୍ୱାସ୍ଥ୍ୟସେବା କ୍ଷେତ୍ରକୁ ସମୃଦ୍ଧ କରିବା ସହ ଓଡ଼ିଶା ତଥା ସମଗ୍ର ଦେଶ ପାଇଁ ଗୌରବ ଆଣିଦେଇଥିଲେ। ଚିକିତ୍ସା ସେବା ଓ ଗବେଷଣା କ୍ଷେତ୍ରରେ ତାଙ୍କର ଉଲ୍ଲେଖନୀୟ ଅବଦାନ ସର୍ବଦା ଅବିସ୍ମରଣୀୟ ରହିବ।
ଏହି ଦୁଃଖଦ ମୁହୂର୍ତ୍ତରେ ଶୋକସନ୍ତପ୍ତ ପରିବାରବର୍ଗଙ୍କୁ ମୋର ଗଭୀର ସମବେଦନା ଜଣାଇବା ସହ ଦିବଙ୍ଗତ ଆତ୍ମାଙ୍କ ସଦ୍ଗତି ପାଇଁ ମହାପ୍ରଭୁ ଶ୍ରୀଜଗନ୍ନାଥଙ୍କ ଶ୍ରୀଚରଣରେ ପ୍ରାର୍ଥନା କରୁଛି। ଓଁ ଶାନ୍ତି।🙏
— Mohan Charan Majhi (@MohanMOdisha) November 2, 2026
Former CM Naveen Patnaik said Dr Patnaik’s passing away was an irreparable loss.
“I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of the renowned physician Dr. Ashok Kumar Mahapatra while he was under treatment. Through his numerous rare and successful surgical interventions, he has left an indelible mark on the field of medical science. Whether it was establishing AIIMS in Odisha or providing advanced healthcare to the people, he will always remain unforgettable. This is an irreplaceable loss for the entire state of Odisha as well as for India. While conveying my deepest condolences to the bereaved family members during this hour of profound grief, I pray for the eternal peace of the departed soul,” Naveen posted on X.
ଖ୍ୟାତନାମା ବିଶିଷ୍ଟ ଚିକିତ୍ସକ ଡାକ୍ତର ଅଶୋକ କୁମାର ମହାପାତ୍ରଙ୍କ ଚିକିତ୍ସାଧୀନ ଅବସ୍ଥାରେ ଦେହାନ୍ତ ବିଷୟରେ ଜାଣି ମୁଁ ଦୁଃଖିତ। ବହୁ ବିରଳ ସଫଳ ଅସ୍ତ୍ରୋପଚାର ସହ ଚିକିତ୍ସା ବିଜ୍ଞାନରେ ସେ ନିଜର ଅଭୁଲା ଛାପ ଛାଡ଼ି ଯାଇଛନ୍ତି। ଓଡ଼ିଶାରେ ଏମ୍ସ ପ୍ରତିଷ୍ଠା ହେଉ କି ଲୋକଙ୍କ ପାଇଁ ଉନ୍ନତ ସ୍ୱାସ୍ଥ୍ୟସେବା ଯୋଗାଇବା, ସେ ସବୁବେଳେ ସ୍ମରଣୀୟ ରହିବେ। ଏହା ସମଗ୍ର ଓଡ଼ିଶା ତଥା ଭାରତ ପାଇଁ ଏକ ଅପୂରଣୀୟ କ୍ଷତି। ଏପରି ଦୁଃଖଦ ସମୟରେ ଶୋକସନ୍ତପ୍ତ ପରିବାରବର୍ଗଙ୍କ ପ୍ରତି ମୋର ଗଭୀର ସମବେଦନା ଜଣାଇବା ସହ ଦିବଂଗତ ଆତ୍ମାର ସଦଗତି କାମନା କରୁଛି।
— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) November 2, 2026