Naveen Patnaik

Naveen Patnaik (born 16 October 1946) is an Indian politician who served as the Chief Minister of Odisha for over 24 years (2000-2024), making him one of the longest-serving chief ministers in Indian history. He is the president and founder of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) party. Known for his understated, gentlemanly style of politics, Patnaik transformed Odisha from a disaster-prone, impoverished state into a model of disaster management and governance. Born in Cuttack, Naveen is the son of Biju Patnaik, a legendary freedom fighter, industrialist, and former Chief Minister of Odisha. Educated at St. Stephen's College, Delhi, and later in England, Naveen initially pursued a career in business and writing. He published two books before entering politics. After his father's death in 1997, he entered politics and founded the BJD. As Chief Minister, Naveen Patnaik gained international recognition for Odisha's exceptional disaster management, particularly during the 1999 Super Cyclone, Cyclone Phailin (2013), Cyclone Fani (2019), and Cyclone Amphan (2020). His government's ability to evacuate millions of people before cyclones hit saved countless lives and became a global model. He also focused on mining governance, women's empowerment through Mission Shakti (self-help groups), and poverty reduction. Despite ruling for nearly a quarter century, Patnaik maintained a clean image and modest lifestyle. His party BJD was an ally of the BJP-led NDA for most of his tenure. However, in the 2024 elections, the BJP won a decisive victory in Odisha for the first time, ending Patnaik's unprecedented rule. After 24 years, he stepped down, marking the end of an era in Odisha politics.