Naveen Patnaik Turns 74, Birthday Wishes Pour In

Bhubaneswar: Warm wishes poured in from all quarters for Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik as he turned 74 on Friday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Naveen over phone to greet him on his birthday. The PM also took to Twitter to wish him a long and healthy life.

President Ram Nath Kovind and Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu also spoke to the CM and wished him.

Similarly, political leaders cutting across party lines as well as other personalities greeted the BJD supremeo on social media. These included Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan, Pratap Sarangi, Arjun Munda and Som Parkash, Lok Sabha member Jual Oram, Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, Jharkhand Cabinet Minister Joba Majhi and entrepreneur Naveen Jindal.

Internationally acclaimed sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik conveyed his wishes through sand sculpture that displayed an image of the CM.

On Thursday, Naveen had announced that he will not celebrate his birthday this year on account of COVID-19. He urged his well-wishers to help to poor and donate plasma for COVID-19 patients instead of rushing to Naveen Niwas to wish him on his birthday.