SAMBALPUR: The first woman minister from Western Odisha and two-time MLA from Bhatli constituency in Bargarh district, Saraswati Pradhan passed away at the age of 98 on Wednesday. She was undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Bhubaneswar.
Born on May 30, 1925, Pradhan, a native of Kendupali village of Bargarh district, started as a teacher, first in Lady Lewis Girls High School in Sambalpur and then in George High School in Bargarh. She was also the first lady teacher of the high school. Later in 1957, Pradhan became the headmistress of Kamgan High School.
She was given the MLA ticket for Bhatli constituency by the Congress in 1961. Despite resistance to enter into politics, uncommon back then, Saraswati won the election that year.
In the same term, Saraswati also became the State Education minister. Eventually, she was yet again elected as the MLA in the next term in 1967.
Though she contested for the third term under the Biju Pattnaik-led Utkal Congress in 1971, she could not win in that term. However, she went on to become an MP in the Rajya Sabha in 1972. She also became the chairperson of State Social Welfare Board, Odisha. Pradhan was an advocate of gender equality and encouraged participation of women in politics.