BHUBANESWAR: War veteran Major General (retired) Basant Kumar Mahapatra, who had participated in major battles including the 1971 war against Pakistan, died at a hospital here on Monday. He was 87.
He had also participated in 1962 Indo-China war, and 1965 and 1971 India-Pakistan war. Mahapatra during his career held many key posts.
After his retirement, Mahapatra was also associated with many educational institutions including Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Centre for Communication and Management in Bhubaneswar and DAV Public Schools in Cuttack and Tangi.
Acknowledging the contribution of Mahapatra, the President of India had conferred the prestigious Ati Vishisht Seva Medal on him.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan condoled the death of Mahapatra.
“Odisha mourns the sad demise of its illustrious son, Major General (Retired) Basant Kumar Mahapatra. The war veteran participated in many major battles the country has fought. He will always be remembered for his bravery, contribution to education and philanthropic activities,” the Chief Minister tweeted.