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Odisha ReviewISSN 0970-8669

Bijayananda Patnaik, commonly called as, Biju

Patnaik, was born on March 5, 1916 in Cuttack

district of Odisha. He was son of Lakshminarayan

Patnaik and Ashalata Ray. Biju’s father

Laksminarayan belonged to Bhanjanagar, Ganjam

but stayed in Cuttack

because Laksminarayan

was in judicial service. Biju

himself was a great

nationalist and a salient

superordinate of the Odia

movement. Biju had his

school time education in

Mission Primary School

which is currently Christ

Collegiate School in

Cuttack. As a child, Biju

was always fascinated by

airplanes & also dreamed

to become a pilot. During

his school time a small aeroplane was landed in

the Cuttack’s Barabati fort and Biju instantly ran

away from his school to see his dream object

closely. The Ravenshaw College, named after

Thomas Edward Ravenshaw (1868 as college;

2006 as university), one of the oldest college and

currently among the best universities of Odisha

was Biju’s alma mater, where Biju did his bachelor

Attainments and Achievementsof the Legendary Hero Biju Patnaik

Sunil Kumar Sahoo

degree. But while chasing his dream to become

an airman, Biju dropped from Ravenshaw College

and joined in the Aeronautic Training Institute of

India at Delhi, to get trained as an airman. Biju’s

dream came true and as a reason of his ambition

and skills he became one

of the best skilled pilot of

his era. Biju Patnaik was

flying with some private

airlines, while he joined the

Royal Indian Air force of

British India at the start of

the Second World War.

Not only Biju earned the

medal of victory but also

became the head of Air

Transport Command in

Royal Indian Air force.

Biju, as an airman, also

used his flying skills in

favour of India along with our friendly

neighbourhood country Indonesia.

Role of Biju in Indian Freedom Struggle :

As among the great nationalists, Biju was

always influenced by Mahatma Gandhi. Biju

joined the Quit India Movement in 1942 under

the guidance of the Mahatma Gandhi. He became

a leader of Congress along with Jay Prakash and

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Dr. Ram Manohar. In 1943, due to his actions in

the Quit India Movement, Biju was sent to prison

for about two years.

Shortly after our independence, during the

invasion of Pakistan, Biju, the Chief pilot alone

helped to airlift the first Indian soldiers to the zone

of combat, which was probably the 1st airlift in

history of India and which could only be fulfilled

by such a skilled pilot as Biju. His nationalist

actions didn’t end here, as Biju became a

politician to serve for people of India.

Role of Biju in Indonesian Freedom Struggle

The invincible Bijayananda Patnaik was

also among the few persons to get the highest

honorary award of another country. Biju got the

highest honorary

national award, the

“Bintang Jasa Utama”

of the Indonesia in

1996, during

Indonesia’s 50 th

Independence Day,

which was the highest

Indonesian award,

rarely given to a

foreigner and Biju was

the one and only

person to get such an

award. Before it, Indonesia also granted the

“Bhoomi Putra” award means “Son of the Soil”

to Biju Patnaik. This is due to Biju’s courageous

deeds for rescuing Dr. Sultan Sjahrir, who was

the Prime Minister of Indonesia during 1947.

Indonesia was under Dutch rule from

1816 to 1941. From 1941, Japan took over

Indonesia again. As Japanese collapsed in the

Second World War, the Indonesian freedom

fighter declared their freedom on August 17,

1945. But the European country, Dutch again tried

to acquire Indonesia and started controlling over

Indonesian sea and air. The Dutch wanted control

over Indonesia because Indonesia, as a country,

had more than 13,000 islands and enough sources

for agriculture and textiles.

On March 23, 1947, twenty two Asian

countries were welcomed to India for 1st Inter-

Asia Conference arranged by Dr. Jawaharlal

Nehru, in which Dr. Sjahrir was among the special

guests. But due to total control of Dutch army in

Indonesian air and water, Dr. Sjahrir was unable

to come India for the conference where he was

about to ask help for Dutch attempt of regaining

Indonesia. At the request of Dr. Nehru, the

adventurous Biju, an unmatched pilot, went on a

mission for rescuing

Dr. Sultan Sjahrir from

Indonesia. The brave-

hearted, legendary

Biju Patnaik with his

own Douglas DC-3,

flew to the Java, a city

of Indonesia for

rescuing Dr. Sjahrir.

Biju successfully

accomplished his

mission of rescuing

Dr.Sjahrir. Biju flew

his Douglas DC-3 low, so that he couldn’t be

caught by Dutch radar. Biju fought all the hazards

that came in his way to Indonesia courageously.

The legendary Biju rescued Dr. Sjahrir and came

back India via Singapore on 24 July 1947, one

day before the conference. At the cost of his own

life, Biju successfully accomplished the mission,

which was evenly important for both India and

Indonesia. For such remarkable enactment, Biju

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was also called as the “The Lion of Odisha” or

“Sher-e-Utkal”.

Role of Biju as a Politician :

Not only as an unmatched airman, but

also as a fantabulous politician, Bijayananda

Patnaik left exceptional history that can never be

wiped out from the heart of any Odia. On 23rd

June 1961, Biju Patnaik became the Chief

Minister of Odisha at the age of 45. Biju was

elected to the Lok Sabha in 1977, from

Kendrapada district of Odisha and became Union

Minister of Steel & Mines until 1979. Bijayananda

Patnaik was also re-elected twice to the Lok

Sabha in 1980 and 1984.

As a Minister of Odisha, Biju had

approved so many projects, which are still in

favour of Odisha along with India. Projects of

Bijayananda Patnaik included the Port of Paradip,

Odisha Aviation Centre, Bhubaneswar Airport,

the Cuttack-Jagatpur Mahanadi Highway Bridge,

Regional Engineering College, Sainik School,

Talcher Thermal Power Station, Odisha

University of Agriculture & Technology, NALCO

(National Aluminium Company), Balimela Hydro

Project, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited at

Sunabeda and many more. Biju also established

the Kalinga Cup in football, for the development

of sports in Odisha. Biju also established the

International Kalinga Prize for popularization of

science & technology among the Odias, which is

still in action and supporting many scientists and

researchers for their further experiments.

Biju’s achievements, as a public

representative, were also praiseworthy. Biju

Patnaik set up the Kalinga Tubes, the Kalinga Iron

works, the Kalinga Airlines, the Kalinga

Refractory, the Kalinga daily Odia newspaper and

many more. All his projects are in favour of Odisha

and lakhs of people are earning their daily bread

by working in those projects.

Life History Of The Legendary Biju Patnaik

1916, March 5 – Biju was born

1927 – Joined Ravenshaw College

1927 – Saw Mahatma Gandhi for the 1st time

during his “Khadi Tour” to Odisha

1932 – Passed Matriculation with 1st division

1942 – Joined the Quit India Movement

1943 – Sent to prison for two years

1947, July 22 – Rescued Sjahrir from Java,

Indonesia

1947, July 23 – Came to India along with

Dr. Sjahrir

1952 - M.L.A., Jagannath Prasad

1957 - M.L.A., Sorada

1961 - Chief Minister, Odisha

1966 - M.P., Rajya Sabha

1974 - Opposition Leader

1977 - Minister, Steel & Mines, Government

of India

1980 - M.P., Lok Sabha

1985 - Opposition Leader, State Assembly

1990-95 - Chief Minister, Odisha

1997, April 17 – The Legendary Knight Biju

Died

Attainments & Achievements of The

Legendary Biju Patnaik:

The following were some of the

contributions and achievements that Biju Patnaik

did.

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Odisha Review ISSN 0970-8669

The Port of Paradip, Odisha

Odisha Aviation Centre,

Bhubaneswar Airport,

The Cuttack-Jagatpur Mahanadi Highway

Bridge,

Regional College of Education,

Sainik School, Bhubaneswar,

Talcher Thermal Power Station, Talcher,

Odisha University of Agriculture &

Technology, Bhubaneswar

NALCO (National Aluminium Company),

Balimela Hydro Project,

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Sunabeda

Engineering & Medical Colleges at Burla

The Orissa State Planning Board

Ferro Silicon Complex at Theruvali

Reorganisation of districts

Daitari-Paradeep Express Highway

Regional Research Laboratory

On 17th April of 1997, Bijayananda

Patnaik, at the age of 81 died and during his

illness, the great Biju mentioned that he would

like to die as a pilot in an air crash rather than

from prolonged sickness. On 5th March every

year, the birth day of Biju Patnaik is observed as

Panchayati Raj Divas and this day is also declared

as a public holiday in the memory of this great

personality. In short, all Odias must be motivated

from his life & always follow his path to make

Odisha more beautiful than it is now. Except Biju

Patnaik, today’s Odisha is impossible to imagine.

Sunil Kumar Sahoo, Kalarahanga, PS: Mancheswar,

Bhubaneswar-751024, Khurdha, E-mail:

shreeganeshmag@gmail.com.