By Our Correspondent
CUTTACK/BHUBANESWAR: The members of the IPS Association (Odisha Branch) have been shocked by the sad demise of Dr. Debasis Panigrahi,IPS, Director Vigilance, Odisha. A condolence meeting in this regard was held today on virtual platform under the Chairmanship of Sri Abhay,IPS, DGP, Odisha. The members present in the meeting offered floral tribute to the departed soul. Two minutes silence was observed by the members. The association members also expressed their heartfelt grief and solace to the family members of Late Dr. Debasis Panigrahi. A native of Balasore Distict. Dr. Panigrahi had served in various capacities in the State of Odisha. He was not only an extremely efficient Police Officer but also was an accomplished writer of repute.
Dr. Panigrahi had tested positive on 21st May 2021 and was undergoing treatment in a hospital at Kolkata. He breathed his last on 18.06.2021 night.Senior IPS Officers of Odisha including R.K. Sharma,IPS, Director, Intelligence, S.K. Priyadarsi,IPS, C.P., Amitabh Thakur,IPS, IGP(Ops) and others were present in the meeting.
He was known for his sweet-spoken, upright and an author in the State Police Administration. He was a Odisha Sahitya Akademi Award winner.
‘Mellowed with Years’, a collection of poems in English, by Dr.Panigrahi, was released in March this year. Many of his poems are based on the Covid-19 pandemic. The book of poetry is Dr Panigrahi’s first collection of poems in English and also his first foray into writing in English.
He had published 10 collections of stories, three collections of novellas, a novel and a work of non-fiction and lyrics each in Odia. Some of his Odia stories have been dramatized as well as translated in English, Hindi, Bengali, Telugu and Kannada.
He joined Indian Police Service in 1991 and was allotted Odisha Cadre, which was his home cadre.He had successfully worked as Superintendent of Police (SP) of major districts such as Keonjhar, Bhubaneswar, Puri, Ganjam and Cuttack.
He had served as DIG of Police (Administration), Special Secretary in Home Department, IG of Police (Modernization) and IG of Police, (Personnel) and ADG of Police (Personnel) at the State Police Headquarters, Cuttack. He assumed office as Director Vigilance in October 2017.Born on August 29, 1965 in Balasore, Mr.Panigrahi graduated in Political Science and did MPhil from JNU and later PhD & LLB from Utkal University.
