Naked have we come into this world and naked shall we go out of it. The world is a bridge, pass over it but build no house upon It!” expounded a great oriental philosopher. That is what exactly happened in case of Bishnu Das who came, who saw and who conquered the hearts of the tens and thousands of people of Jagatsinghpur and departed without leaving any wealth of fortune for his family. Probably he belonged to the clan of the leaders, whose number is dwindling fast in these days of rank consumerism and godless materialism.
Once when I had the occasion to interview the noted journalsit of the country Kuldeep Nayar. He asked me about late Rabi Ray and Bishnu Das “What about the active young man called one Das of Jagatsinghpur? I remember; I want to meet. Bijubabu had introduced that young man to me," he reminisced and I had informed Bishnubabu at once.
A devoted follower of legendary leader Biju Patnaik, Bishnu Das' name has been all pervasive among the masses of Jagatsinghpur district and his ubiquitous influence as well as his formidable organisational strength is palpable everywhere in the district. He was initiated into public life at the behest of Biju Patnaik together with encouragement of eminent journalist Kuldip Nayar and former lok Sabha Speaker Rabi Ray. He was president of the SVM College Union, Jagatsinghpur from 1977 to 1980 consecutively. He shot into fame during the infamous Chhabirani rape and murder case by organising a State-wide campaign and courting arrest to bring justice to the wronged.
In 1985, he contested the Assembly elections from the Jagatsinghpur constituency on a Janata Dal ticket and was humbled by the Congress owing to the sympathy wave out of Indira Gandhi's assassination. But in 1990, he opened his innings to the Assembly as a lone Janata Dal candidate from Jagatsinghpur district. Subsequently, he was re-elected to the Assembly in 1995 and 2000. He was elected for a fourth time in 2004 and for the fifth time in 2009. He became Minister for School and Mass Education in 2006. He was nominated to the Rajya Sabha in 2016. Later on, he was chosen for the coveted position of Vice-Chairman of the State Planning Board, while the post of the Chairman was adorned by CM Naveen Pattnaik himself.
As a leader, he believes in the concept of a man speaking to men and was highly unassuming for which he was endeared to the masses unlike the self-aggrandizing charlatan politicians of today. He had hoped , suffered , struggled, and endured to make Jagatsinghpur a district , which was only possible by his persistent demand before Bijubabu. He was also thinking every now and then to make his alma mater SVM College resplendent by uniting all the alumni and before he could translate this last dreams of his into a reality , he was summoned to join on his pilgrimage to eternity. May the power and providence of the divine give solace and strength to his family and his only son Bijay Shankar to bear this great loss.
(In memory of Bishnu Das who passed away on July 6)