By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: Renowned Informatics Scientist and Senior Lawyer, Umakanta Jena is likely to contest in ensuing assembly election. A native of Solampur village under Bhandari Pokhari Assembly Constituency, Shri Jena has been emerging as a strong contender for Bhandari Pokhari or neighbouring Korei seats. Being fresh in politics having a clean image, brilliant professional career and technology savvy background, Shri Jena is fast becoming hot favourite among voters.
A master in many trades, Umakanta Jena has been a triple post – graduate in M.sc(Maths), M.Tech(IT) and LLM. Former Scientist in National Informatics Centre and General Manager, Administration & Legal in NIC, Shri Jena has had the wide experience and core expertise in strategy planning, Administration, HR Management, Infrastructure Development, Legal Affairs, R.T.I matters, Business Advancement, Project Management, Team Co – Ordination, Liasioning, Logistic arrangements, Event Planning and Execution and Organisational Leadership. An achiever par – excellence, Shri Jena has been instrumental in generating business worth of more than Rs 3500 crore by implementing around 1100 projects during his tenure as General Manager in NIC.
He has also been responsible in successfully commissioning ICT Projects at nerve centres of the Nation like President, Vice – President, Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha and Cabinet Secretariates as well as Prime Minister’s office. During his 34 years of sterling service in Government of India, he has earned name and fame by serving in states and union territories like Odisha, Maharashtra, Delhi, Punjab, Chandigarh, Haryana, Goa, Daman and Diu.
Being the past President and Secretary of NIC employees Co – operative, Former General Secretary and Treasurer of All India NIC officers’ Association, Co – convenor of The Intellects, Chief Co – ordinator of World Odisha Society’s New Delhi and NCR Chapter, Former General Secretary of Central Government Employees Resident’s Welfare Association, Vice – President of Utkal Samaj, Vasundhara and General Secretary of Jagannath Seva Sangha, Dwarka, New Delhi and co –ordinator of Kalinga Bharati Foundation, Shri Jena has been rendering yeomen services for community development, social upliftment and cultural promotion.
An ardent promoter of education in rural belt, shri Jena had established a High School in his nearby village at Maninathpur in the year 1976. Because of shri Jena’s timely and tireless effort, hundreds of precious lives were saved from perishing during the outbreak of dreaded covid pandemic. An extremely hard working, honest, dedicated, helpful, affable, responsible, punctual and trust worthy person having excellent organisational skill, exemplary grass root level working experience and extraordinary capability of decision making, political observers expect that Shri Jena would be a huge asset for any Political Party, he opts to join.
A much decorated personality, Umakanta Jena has had the honour of receiving several prestigious awards for his spectacular contributions. These include Rashtriya Ekta Samman, Felicitation by World Odisha Society for being an eminent Philanthropist, Corona Warrior Award, Felicitated during Digital India Award function graced by Hon’ble President of India and Social Service Award by Sarvajan Sukhaya Sewa Samiti.
Because of Shri Jena’s dynamic personality, Achievers background and pro poor approach, pollsters predict that he will definitely achieve electoral victory hands down as a MLA Candidate either from Bhandari Pokhari or Korei constituency.
