By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR:Former Cabinet Minister and MP , Rasabihari Behera, passed away at the age of 88 at his residence in Bhawanipatna, casting a deep pall of gloom across Odisha.
Born on 12 April 1938, Mr. Behera played a distinguished role in Odisha’s public sphere as a parliamentarian, journalist, publisher, and literary figure. He served as an MLA from the Koksara constituency in 1977 and 1985, and represented Kalahandi in the 7th Lok Sabha in 1980, where he worked closely with the central Congress leadership under former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
Alongside his political journey, he founded Arji Prakashani and served as the editor of Arji, making notable contributions to Odia journalism and literature through his columns, novels like Bijayi and Raktatirtha, travelogues such as Kanada, and his autobiography Mulyabodhara Sandhana.
Leaders across party lines paid rich tributes to his lifelong dedication to public service and the welfare of the underprivileged. PCC President Bhakta Charan Das and former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expressed profound grief over his passing.
Former PCC Chief Niranjan Patnaik and other close political colleagues paid heartfelt sradhanjali, recalling his visionary leadership, steadfast mentorship, and decades of shared public life.
His last rites will be performed with full state honors in Bhawanipatna. Thousands gathered at his Bhawanipatna residence to pay their final respects to the veteran leader.
