About
Shri Naveen Patnaik, Chief Minister of Odisha since 2000, is the most successful and popular CM of Odisha; and is adored by millions, for his crystal clean image, corruption-free and transparent Government. A staunch crusader of socio-economic development, his pro-people and development-oriented policies have made Odisha the second fastest developing economy of the country.
His mild mannerism, stand against corruption and “pro-poor policies” have resulted in the development of a huge support base in Odisha, and has voted him to power in the last three consecutive terms. Naveen Patnaik is a gentleman, a thinking politician and more over a person with a genuine interest in solving the problems of the state. His is the only rule, which is not mired with any scandal, which had severely dogged the previous Congress regimes.
Naveen Patnaik was born on October 16, 1946, in Cuttack, Odisha, India. He is the son of Biju Patnaik, a prominent Indian politician and the former Chief Minister of Odisha. Naveen Patnaik comes from a political family background, and his father played a significant role in Indian politics.
Naveen Patnaik completed his early education at Welham Boys' School in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, and then attended The Doon School. After his initial schooling, he went on to study at the University of Delhi and later at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom.
Before entering politics, Naveen Patnaik had a career in business and writing. He worked in various capacities, including as an author and a journalist. Following the death of his father in 1997, Naveen Patnaik entered politics and founded the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in 1997, named after his father, Biju Patnaik.
Naveen Patnaik's entry into politics marked the beginning of his journey in Odisha politics, and he has since become one of the longest-serving Chief Ministers in the history of the state, known for his focus on development, welfare schemes, and disaster management.
He has done significant work in international recognition of Indian designs and worked with handloom weavers to enlarge home market for Indian textiles. An ardent admirer of the rich cultural heritage of India, his work has always in one way or the other been connected with Art, Ecology and Culture.
He has traveled extensively in India and abroad. Naveen Patnaik is also a founder member of the Indian National Trust for Art & Cultural Heritage (INTACH). He has authored three books: A Second Paradise: Indian Country Life 1590-1947, A Desert Kingdom: The people of Bikaner and the Garden of Life: An introduction to the Healing Plants of India.
