Bhubaneswar: Manohar Parrikar was known for his simple and austere living and sharp acumen. Much of what he was, he had once said, he owed to his alma-mater, IIT-Bombay.
He never forgot to seek the blessings of teachers who shaped his life, one of them being professor Prasanta Kumar Patnaik, who he described as his guru. Prof Patnaik is now based in Bhubaneswar.
As Union defence minister, Parrikar once paid a surprise visit to his guru in BJB Nagar during a trip to Bhubaneswar in June 2016. Prof Patnaik had played a significant role in shaping Parrikar’s career.
“I was touched by the minister’s gesture and felt proud as a teacher. It was a surprise for me,” Prof Patnaik had said after Parrikar called on him.
Later on, the Goa Chief Minister had tweeted saying, “feeling blessed to meet my Guru Prof Patnaik of IIT Mumbai at his residence in Bhubaneswar”.
Parrikar graduated in metallurgical engineering from the prestigious institute in 1978.
He died of cancer at his home in Panaji on Sunday evening.
