The last standing pillar of visionary leadership in independent India with an unflappable acumen is no more. Janaki Ballav Patnaik, the spin doctor who dominated Odisha politics for over three decades, breathed his last in the wee hours on Tuesday at Tirupati and it was without any hassle.
Playing out the chapter that started in the pre-independence years, JB did not meekly fade away into the sunset. He rather kept himself at the pinnacle of public life till his very end, never ever giving in to adversities and obstacles posed by foes and friends alike.
Three-time Chief Minister, Union Minister, Governor, J B Patnaik inarguably was the most educated and knowledgeable person to have graced the high seat in Odisha politics. A scholar, litterateur par excellence, he was as rooted to the culture and heritage of Odisha as he was forward looking in his outlook, envisioning a progress path for the state in tandem with contemporary development and futuristic ideas. As an anecdote goes, while chairing a meeting on tourism development in Odisha way back in 1989, he projected golf courses as important vehicles for attracting tourists. This alone exemplifies modern and progressive outlook of JB as he could perceive global tourism preferences and thought of blending tradition with the contemporary.
JB belonged to the fast disappearing breed of leaders, who not only had the highest intellectual capability and a vision, but also the ways to drive their ideas on ground. A master of Statecraft, he established a firm grip on the administration, but never ever lost the decorum and decency even in the face of harshest circumstances. Despite reservations or contestations by different sections, many of the programmes launched during his tenure in the 80s and 90s have become the major drivers of Odisha’s present-day success story.
He had envisioned industrial development as the key instrument to pull Odisha out of backwardness and laid out an industrial policy with the slogan “Thousand industries in thousand days”. Though ridiculed by opponents and taken advantage of by unscrupulous people at the time, the very programme did create a generation of entrepreneurs, laying a roadmap for future growth. It, in fact, has proved to be the platform for industrial growth that the present generation tom toms.
He was the pioneer of power reforms in the country. In his third term in office, Odisha became the first state to open up power generation and distribution to private sector and consequently became power surplus in 2000, achieving six-fold increase in generation in two decades from 1980.
He gave agriculture the status of industry while implementing novel and innovative programmes for expanding irrigation and providing inputs to increase agriculture production. Mid-day meal scheme, which is now being implemented across the country, was his idea and first introduced in Odisha way back in 1980s. He gave Odia language its due by making it the official language and ensuring it was used in all government communications.
Defeat was not a word in his dictionary and he ensured that his survival instinct enabled him to overcome intra-party turbulence, opposition and instability to remain in saddle for three terms. Had the Congress leadership kept faith in him and had he been provided with the stability and authority, he could have achieved much more. A man of great learning and mannerly conduct that he was, Janaki Babu was not without fallacy and foibles. He was given to vicissitude of swerving between an extremely wily political operator to almost cowardly reluctance to act against vested interests taking over his regime.
