Former Nilgiri MLA Akshaya Kumar Acharya passes away

Bhubaneswar: Akshaya Kumar Acharya, former MLA of Nilgiri in Odisha's Balasore district, passed away today at the age of 76. He had been suffering from cancer for a long time and was undergoing treatment in Mumbai.

His health condition suddenly deteriorated early in the morning, following which he was first taken to Nilgiri Hospital and later shifted to the district headquarters hospital in Balasore. He breathed his last while undergoing treatment.

His demise has cast a pall of gloom across Nilgiri, with people from all walks of life expressing deep sorrow over the loss of a veteran leader widely known for his role in the region’s development.

Political journey and electoral victories

Akshaya Kumar Acharya was elected twice as an MLA from the Nilgiri Assembly constituency on a Congress ticket. He first entered the Odisha Legislative Assembly in 1980 at the age of 31. In that election, he defeated Banamali Das by securing 23,139 votes.

He was re-elected in 1995, once again on a Congress ticket, winning 38,303 votes and returning to represent Nilgiri for a second term.

Contributions to Nilgiri’s development

During his tenure as MLA, Acharya played a key role in several development initiatives in Nilgiri. These included the construction of the bus stand, formation of the NAC, development of dams and irrigation facilities, and establishment of schools and colleges. He was also instrumental in setting up a Panthanivas, among other infrastructure projects.