Then came a few women's selfhelp groups, a constituency he had carefully nurtured and empowered. They greeted Patnaik with an enthusiastic hulahuli (a type of ululation), and he welcomed them, praising their efforts in making lakhs of flags for the 75th Independence Day.
Between these two events, Patnaik met THE WEEK for an interview at his home office. The large space has idols of Shree Jagannatha covered in fresh flowers and the walls were painted with the famous Odia story of king Purushottama Deva, who undertook a journey with the blessings of Shree Jagannatha. It seemed an apt painting. Patnaik, who has ruled the state unhindered for 22 years, can also claim to have the Lord's blessings.
"I am 75 now, and I have to be careful about what I eat," he said, dressed in his trademark white kurta-pyjama. "I prefer home-cooked light meals. I travel extensively across the state to meet my people."
A history buff, Patnaik had once corrected a local guide about a monument in Rome when he was there to meet the pope. Currently, he is watching The Crown, a Netflix series on Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-serving British monarch. Patnaik himself will surpass Jyoti Basu next year, to rank second on the list of longest-serving Indian chief ministers. Former Sikkim chief minister Pawan Kumar Chamling sits at number one with more than 24 years in office. Excerpts from an interview:
Q/ Odisha has transformed a lot in the past two decades, and its human development index rating has improved quite a bit. What approach has led to this steady change?
A/ People first. Gandhiji's talisman has always been our guiding principle. Empowerment of our people-be it women, youth, children, tribals or other vulnerable groups is what our policies aim at. Citizen-centric governance is our guiding light.
Denne historien er fra October 09, 2022-utgaven av THE WEEK India.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra October 09, 2022-utgaven av THE WEEK India.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
William Dalrymple goes further back
Indian readers have long known William Dalrymple as the chronicler nonpareil of India in the early years of the British raj. His latest book, The Golden Road, is a striking departure, since it takes him to a period from about the third century BC to the 12th-13th centuries CE.
The bleat from the street
What with all the apps delivering straight to one’s doorstep, the supermarkets, the food halls and even the occasional (super-expensive) pop-up thela (cart) offering the woke from field-to-fork option, the good old veggie-market/mandi has fallen off my regular beat.
Courage and conviction
Justice A.M. Ahmadi's biography by his granddaughter brings out behind-the-scenes tension in the Supreme Court as it dealt with the Babri Masjid demolition case
EPIC ENTERPRISE
Gowri Ramnarayan's translation of Ponniyin Selvan brings a fresh perspective to her grandfather's magnum opus
Upgrade your jeans
If you don’t live in the top four-five northern states of India, winter means little else than a pair of jeans. I live in Mumbai, where only mad people wear jeans throughout the year. High temperatures and extreme levels of humidity ensure we go to work in mulmul salwars, cotton pants, or, if you are lucky like me, wear shorts every day.
Garden by the sea
When Kozhikode beach became a fertile ground for ideas with Manorama Hortus
RECRUITERS SPEAK
Industry requirements and selection criteria of management graduates
MORAL COMPASS
The need to infuse ethics into India's MBA landscape
B-SCHOOLS SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT INDIAN ECONOMY IS GOING TO WITNESS A TREMENDOUS GROWTH
INTERVIEW - Prof DEBASHIS CHATTERJEE, director, Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode
COURSE CORRECTION
India's best b-schools are navigating tumultuous times. Hurdles include lower salaries offered to their graduates and students misusing AI
