Odisha Health Secy earns praise for resuming duty day after father’s death

Bhubaneswar: Amidst new cases of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) being reported everyday across the world, a dutiful IAS officer from Odisha has set example for other bureaucrats to fight the highly infectious disease in the state even a day after losing his father.

Term it as a dedication or heroism, but the bureaucrat showed exemplary courage under extreme circumstances.

The 1993-batch Odisha-cadre IAS officer Nikunja Dhal is earning praise on the internet for his selfless service as a hero, who joined his duty within 24 hours of his father’s death.

My Government India, a citizen engagement platform of the Union Government, recently took to the Twitter and lauded Dhal for his performance. Replying to a post by IAS Association on the microblogging site, My Government India wrote:

#IndiaFightsCorona has many unsung heroes, Nikunja Dhal is just one of them. .@MoHFW_INDIA @PIB_India https://t.co/Dq0v53ppwB

— MyGovIndia (@mygovindia) March 17, 2020

Nikunja Dhal, Principal Secretary of Health and Family Welfare Department for Government of Odisha, returned to work to combat the coronavirus a day after his father breathed his last. He had taken a day off on Monday to fulfill his family responsibilities as the son. After completing all rituals, he joined his team next day.

Recently, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has suspended leaves of officers in view of the Covid-19 outbreak. The top official in the health department could have taken leave from work as per the rule. However, he preferred to work for people during the pandemic situation instead of mourning death of his father.