Former Odisha MP Baishnab Parida passes away

Bhubaneswar: Former Rajya Sabha MP Baishnab Charan Parida passed away at a private hospital following illness here this morning. He was 77.

The politician, writer and social activist Parida was suffering from cancer for the last seven to eight months. He was admitted to a private hospital nine days ago.

Parida breathed his last at 10.45 am. He was suffering from lipoma infection, said the doctor attending to him at the hospital.

He was serving as a member of the Rajya Sabha from 2010 to 2016. Earlier, he was the State president of Samajwadi Party from 1999 to 2008.

Born in Srirampur of Jajpur district in the year 1941, Parida was spearheading the Bhasha Andolan (language movement) for Odia language in Odisha.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expressed grief over sudden demise of Parida.

Taking to the microblogging site Twitter, he wrote:

Sad to hear the passing away of former Rajya Sabha MP Baishnab Charan Parida. My deep condolences to the bereaved family. May his soul rest in peace.

— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) November 22, 2018

Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan also condoled the death of the former parliamentarian.

ପୂର୍ବତନ ସାଂସଦ ବୈଷ୍ଣବ ପରିଡାଙ୍କ ବିୟୋଗରେ ମୁଁ ମର୍ମାହତ। ଜଣେ ରାଜନେତା, ସାମାଜିକ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟକର୍ତା ଓ ଓଡ଼ିଆ ଭାଷା ସୁରକ୍ଷା ପାଇଁ ତାଙ୍କ ଅବଦାନ ଅତୁଳନୀୟ । ତାଙ୍କ ଅମର ଆତ୍ମାର ସଦଗତି କାମନା କରିବା ସହ ପରିବାର ବର୍ଗଙ୍କୁ ସମବେଦନା ଜଣାଉଛି ।

— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) November 22, 2018