Odisha’s eminent stone sculptor and Padma Vibhushan awardee Raghunath Mohapatra was nominated to Rajya Sabha on Saturday.
President Ramnath Kovind nominated Mohapatra along with three others, Odishi dance exponent Sonal Mansingh, farmer leader Ram Shakal and author and columnist Rakesh Sinha to the Upper House of Parliament.
Sonal Mansingh, another Padma Vibhushan awardee, is wife of former diplomat lalit Mansingh and daughter-in-law of romantic poet late Mayadhar Mansingh of Odisha.
In exercise of the powers conferred by Article-80 of the Constitution and on the advice of the Prime Minister, the President nominated the four personalities to the Rajya Sabha.
The nominees will replace former cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, actor Rekha, businesswoman Anu Agha and former Attorney General of India K Parasaran, whose terms in the Rajya Sabha have ended.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik congratulated Raghunath Mohapatra and Sonal Mansingh and also expressed his deep gratitude to the President for nominating the two distinguished personalities, who have immense contribution to the promotion of Odishan art and culture.
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan thanked President Kovind and Prime Minister Modi for the nomination Mohapatra and Mansingh to the Rajya Sabha.
“It is the best day for Odisha. By nominating two eminent Odisha personalities to the Rajya Sabha for the first time on the auspicious occasion of the Rath Yatra, the Union Government has respected Odisha’s culture and art,” said Pradhan.
Earlier in February 2014, Mohapatra had contested in Rajya Sabha polls with backing of the ruling BJD. However, he lost to Congress candidate Ranjib Biswal.