BHUBANESWAR: MM Rajendran, who served as Governor of the state during a critical phase, passed away in a private hospital in Chennai on Saturday. He was 88 and is survived by his wife Susheela Rajendran, two sons and a daughter.
Rajendran, a 1957-batch IAS officer and former chief secretary of Tamil Nadu, was appointed as Governor of Odisha in 1999 soon after the super cyclone. Before completing his term in 2004, he had worked with three chief ministers.
Governor Raghubar Das expressed his condolences to the bereaved family. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said, “Deeply saddened to know about the demise of Shri MM Rajendran, former Governor of Odisha. His long years of experience as a career bureaucrat had made him carve a niche for himself as an administrator. He will be always remembered for his dedication and service to the people. My condolences to his family and friends.”