KENDRAPARA: The bonhomie between chief ministers Naveen Patnaik and J Jayalalithaa boosted ties between Odisha and Tamil Nadu. A large number of Odias are staying in Tamil Nadu and this gave rise to the need to set up Odisha Bhawan in Chennai.
In 2012, Naveen and Jaya jointly laid the foundation stone for Odisha Bhawan in Chennai during the 76th Utkal Divas Samaroh there organised by Utkal Association of Madras.
At the meeting, Jaya had promised to inaugurate the building along with Naveen, informed Khirod Jena, president of Utkal Association of Madras.
During the foundation laying ceremony, Jaya warmly described Naveen as her elder brother while recalling that Biju Patnaik was like a father figure to her, said Jena on Tuesday over phone from Chennai.
Jena of Rajnagar in Kendrapara district said Tamil Nadu Government had provided 35 decimal land to Odisha Government near Chennai for construction of Odisha Bhawan. The construction of the Bhawan will be completed in March 2017 but Amma would not be around to keep her promise, said an emotional Jena.
At the meeting, Jaya had also felicitated sand artist Sudarshan Patnaik and Odissi dancer Kumkum Mohanty, said Jena.