Bhubaneswar:
Freedom fighter Bhabani Charan Pattnaik died here on Thursday at the age of 98, family sources said.
Pattnaik was rushed to the Capital Hospital after he fainted at his Ashok Nagar residence and breathed his last during treatment.
He is survived by two sons and three daughters, while his wife passed away long ago.
Born in 1922, Pattnaik was a three-time Rajya Sabha MP in 1961, 1966 and 1978. He was conferred with Padma Shri in 2018.
He celebrated his last birthday on Monday.
On the occasion of his 98th birthday, Pattnaik had expressed desire to donate his body to the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, School and Mass Education Minister Samir Ranjan Dash said.
Bhabani Babu was a guardian for all of us, he said.
He wanted that his body also serves the nation after his death, he added.
However, sources at the SCB Medical College and Hospital said that it may not be possible to receive the body due to the prevailing situation.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expressed his grief over Pattnaik’s demise and described him as a man of indomitable spirit.
Bhabani Babu was very active till his death. In his death, the nation lost a true Gandhian and a Karmayogi, he said.
He was a close associate of Biju Patnaik and both of them were in jail during the freedom movement, the chief minister said.
He also announced that Pattnaik’s funeral will be held at Nimapada with full state honour on Friday.
Pattnaik was born in Andia village in Nimapada block in Puri district.
He joined the Quit India Movement in 1942 and spent three-and-a-half years in jail.
