BHUBANESWAR: Former minister and ex-deputy Speaker of Odisha Legislative Assembly Bibhuti Bhushan Singh Mardaraj, who was undergoing treatment at a private hospital in the city following prolonged illness, passed away early on Thursday morning. He was 70.
A scion of the Khandapada dynasty, he was the son of Harihar Singh Mardaraj Bhramarbar Rai, the last ruler of the princely state before its merger with the Odisha state on January 1, 1948.
Born on January 4, 1955, Singh Mardaraj studied at the BJB College, Bhubaneswar. During his college days, he emerged as a prominent student leader and got elected to the Odisha Assembly for the first time in 1980 as an independent candidate from the Khandapada constituency. He subsequently joined the ruling Congress and also served as the president of the Puri District Youth Congress between 1981 and 1984.
Thereafter, Singh Mardaraj got elected to the Assembly twice in 1985 and 1995 as a Congress candidate. He served as minister of state (independent charge) holding the department of Tourism and Culture, Planning and Coordination in the Hemananda Biswal ministry in 1989.
In 1996, he was chosen as the deputy Speaker of the Assembly and continued in the post for four years. The former minister took an avid interest in photography, music and cricket. He was a life member of the Cricket Association of Bengal.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed grief over his death. “I am deeply saddened to learn about the demise of former minister and former deputy speaker of Odisha Assembly, Shri Bibhuti Bhushan Singh Mardaraj. I pray to Lord Shri Jagannath for the eternal peace of the departed soul and extend my condolences to the family members. Om Shanti,” Majhi wrote on X.
Deputy chief ministers KV Singh Deo and Pravati Parida, leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik, Union Education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Bhakta Charan Das and others offered prayers and expressed condolences for the bereaved family.
The mortal remains of Singh Mardaraj were taken to the state Assembly where Speaker Surama Padhy, deputy Speaker Narasingha Bhoi, ministers and MLAs offered floral tributes.
Singh Mardaraj is survived by his wife Rani Devaki Devi Kumari, son Siddharth Shekhar Singh, a former MLA, and daughter Aradhana. His mortal remains were later taken to Khandapada for the last rites.