Bhubaneswar: Noted historian and former superintendent of Odisha State Archives Debaraj Pradhan breathed his last on Friday. He was 70.
He died at a private hospital in Bhubaneswar. His last rites were performed at Swargadwara in Puri.
He was born in a farmer’s family at Rohinia in Bargarh district. Pradhan had completed his schooling in Bargarh. After graduating from Sambalpur University, he studied archaeology in New Delhi and England.
He had discovered rare inscriptions written by Emperor Ashoka and four inscriptions on Pushpagiri Mahavihar, at Langudi hill under Dharmashala block in Jajpur district.
He had also conducted an archaeological survey at Bajragiri, Kaima, and Radhanagar in the district.
When Biju Patnaik was the Chief Minister of Odisha, Pradhan has guided his son Naveen Patnaik and daughter Geeta Mehta to travel to the historical places of Odisha.
