BHUBANESWAR: Veteran Congress leader and former MP Jayanti Patnaik passed away on Wednesday at the age of 90. A renowned social worker, Patnaik was the first chairperson of the National Commission for Women (NCW). She headed the commission from February 3, 1992 to January 30, 1995. She was married to Congress stalwart JB Patnaik, a former Governor as well as a three-time Chief Minister of Odisha.
Born on April 7, 1932 at Aska in Ganjam district, she made her electoral debut from the Cuttack Lok Sabha constituency in a by-election in 1980. A three-time Lok Sabha member, she represented Cuttack parliamentary constituency again in 1984 before being elected from Berhampur in 1996. Patnaik quit the Berhampur seat after she was elected to Rajya Sabha in the same year.
Besides her experience in Parliament, Patnaik was also known for her organisational efficiency. She was the president of the All India Mahila Congress in 1987. A well known writer, Patnaik had translated ‘Krishnavatar’ written by KM Munshi which deals with philosophical as well as spiritual subjects. She was also the editor of literary magazine, ‘Pourush’.
Patnaik came from an illustrious family of freedom fighters. She completed her Master of Arts from Sailabala Women’s College in Cuttack before going on to pursue advanced studies at Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai.
National vice-president of the BJP Baijayant Panda, Agriculture Minister Ranendra Pratap Swain, president of the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee Sarat Pattanayak, former OPCC president Niranjan Patnaik and leaders cutting across party lines condoled her demise.