A lady with a winsome personality, Sulochana Das has been elected to the prestigious position of Mayor of Bhubaneswar. Witty, vivacious, she bristles an air of robust optimism and is eager to face mediapersons. After her Post-Graduation in Economics from the Ravenshaw College, she pursued her career in journalism and had obtained a PG degree in journalism as well. Subsequently, she added an LLB degree to her credit. She had her initiation in journalism in a New Delhi TV channel. After marrying her fiancée Prafulla K Das, a journalist, she switched over to OTV. Later, she worked as an anchor in ETV. Her transition to politics began as a spokesperson of the Congress, after which she shifted her allegiance to the BJD being inspired by the leadership of Naveen Patnaik. As a producer of documentary films on various social issues for UNICEF, she has earned rich encomiums too. She was also chosen as the Disability Commissioner, which provided her an ideal platform to work for 12.4 lakh disabled persons. In an interview to The Pioneer, she spoke to Sugyan Choudhury on the many aspects of her plans and programmes for the city of Bhubaneswar.
How do you feel being elected as the Mayor of Bhubaneswar?
I indeed feel happy. I must thank to the people of Bhubaneswar for their support and blessings in getting me elected. I must also thank our popular Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for his great support and for having his trust reposed in me. Besides, I am grateful to the leaders and rank and file of BJD for their unflinching support and co-operation.
Could you please tell about your journey from a scribe to a Mayor?
It was a long and eventful journey. I started my career as a journalist. I came in direct contact with many situations, events that helped me have a questioning intellect and inquiring mindset to look into anything and everything with an analytical bent of mind. I must admit that it is journalism that indeed catapulted me to reach here.
What are your plans for the development of this smart city?
I have no agenda of my own. It is indeed the agenda of our popular CM Naveen Patnaik, who has his vision to see and transform this age-old temple city as a numero uno smart city not only in the country but also to obtain global recognition. The projects of our BJD Government are already in the offing towards transformation of this city into still greater heights of glory. Anyone from Bhubaneswar would feel he or she is proud of being a denizen of this city. Problems like providing ideal connectivity in and around Bhubaneswar, improving tourism, preserving the ancient heritage and artifacts, making the city green, translating the drainage master plan into a reality are some major issues on which we are working. Of course, we admit that the developmental work had gone through some inertia owing to the debilitating effect of the Covid pandemic. Now, we are to work with redoubled energy, enthusiasm to transform the city into No. 1 smart city at the Pan-India level. For this, the Mayor is not be all and the end all. We have 67 Corporators, three MLAs and all that we need is a coordinated effort to arrive at our destination. Bhubaneswar has become an educational hub, a sports hub where international events are held. We have plans to make it a tourist hub, a healthcare hub and the like too.
What are the plans for preserving and protecting the world-class architecture and ancient heritage of the city?
We are well aware that the city bears a silent witness to the rich heritage of mankind in the form of intrinsic temple architecture. We have plans to share our concern with the ASI. The State Government and the ASI must work hand in hand to preserve this precious gift of mankind.
Do you think the BJD will come to power for a sixth term?
At the panchayat polls, the BJD obtained 90% votes. In the ULB polls, we have obtained 95 seats of Councillors out of 108. This is indeed historic. We have seen that there is no alternative to the clean image of Naveen Patnaik. Given this trend, there is no doubt that the BJD will come to rule for a 6th term.
Do you believe your victory as Mayor is the result of women empowerment of Naveenbabu?
Naveenbabu is a trendsetter in the policy of women empowerment. He was instrumental in providing 50% reservation to women at the panchayat level and even played a pivotal role in providing 33% reservation in Parliament. Pramila Bisoi being elected to Parliament is a glaring example of Naveenbabu’s vision of projecting women. Even I must candidly confess that by choosing a woman of my status from a common middleclass family, he has proved his agenda of women empowerment as a supreme mission in his political vision. Naveenbabu has played a key role in empowering 70 lakh women under the Mission Shakti programme.
Whom do you want to give credit for your success?
It is said that behind the success of every man, there is a woman. I must say that behind the success of every woman, there is a man, be it one’s father, brother, son or husband. My husband Prafulla Das is out and out a journalist having no interest in politics. At a time when I started my career as a journalist, only a hand-picked number of women were in the field of journalism. But my husband ungrudgingly allowed me to pursue a career in journalism. When I switched over to politics, he encouraged me even condoning the gross neglect of my household chores. But for his encouragement and inspiration, my achievements in life and career would have come to a naught.