Veteran Odisha politician Damodar Rout dies at 81; Prez, CM condole demise

He was declared brain-dead on Thursday.President Droupadi Murmu, Governor Raghubar Das, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and several noted personalities expressed grief over Routs demise.A veterinary doctor by profession, he had joined politics in the 1970s, and was first elected to the assembly in 1977.He has been an MLA seven times five times from Erasama in Jagatsinghpur and twice from Paradip.

Veteran BJD leader Damodor Rout died at a hospital in Bhubaneswar on Friday, his family said.

Rout, 81, is survived by his son Sambit Routray, the BJD MLA of Paradip, and daughter Pritinanda, a corporator of Bhubaneswar. Rout's wife Snehalata Mohapatra, a retired school teacher, had died earlier.

Rout was admitted to the hospital on March 18 after a heart attack and was on a ventilator. He was declared brain-dead on Thursday.

President Droupadi Murmu, Governor Raghubar Das, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and several noted personalities expressed grief over Rout's demise.

A veterinary doctor by profession, he had joined politics in the 1970s, and was first elected to the assembly in 1977.

He has been an MLA seven times – five times from Erasama in Jagatsinghpur and twice from Paradip. He also held several important portfolios as a minister in the governments headed by both Biju Patnaik and his son Naveen Patnaik.

Rout joined the BJP in 2019 after his expulsion from the BJD for ''anti-party'' activities. He unsuccessfully contested the 2019 assembly elections as a saffron party candidate from the Erasama-Balikuda seat.

His expulsion was revoked on January 1, following which he returned to the BJD.

"Saddened by the demise of veteran leader Shri Damodar Rout who served as minister several times in the Odisha Government. Shri Rout's contribution to the progress of Odisha and the country will always be remembered. My deepest condolences to his family members and followers," President Murmu said on X.

The Raj Bhavan said the governor has expressed deep sorrow over the death of the former minister.

In a post on X, Patnaik said Rout's work for the service of people will always be remembered.| ''I am saddened to learn about the demise of senior Biju Janata Dal leader and former minister Damodor Rout. This is an irreparable loss to Odisha politics. May his soul rest in peace, and my condolences to the bereaved family members,'' he said.

The mortal remains of the former minister were taken to the state assembly and then to the BJD headquarters, where the chief minister along with several BJD leaders paid floral tributes. Later, his body was taken to his native village in Jagatsinghpur.

The mortal remains were consigned to flames at Swargadwar in Puri late on Friday, his family members said.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)