Bhubaneswar: Veteran politician and 10-time MLA, V Sugnana Kumari Deo, breathed her last at a private hospital in Chennai at the age of 87. The respected leader had been battling a prolonged illness.
Deo, known as the queen of the erstwhile princely State of Khallikote, had been receiving treatment for the past few days due to a serious ailment. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik visited her at the hospital in Chennai on Friday evening, inquiring about her health and discussing her condition with the medical team. He extended his prayers for her recovery. Accompanying the Chief Minister to Chennai were V Kartik Pandian, Chairman of 5T and Nabin Odisha, Housing and Urban Development Minister Usha Devi, Finance Minister Bikram Keshari Arukha, and Jajpur MLA Pranab Prakash Das.
Deo, who embarked on her political journey in 1961, was elected eight times from the Khalikote Assembly segment and twice from Kabisuryanagar in Ganjam district. Born on August 5, 1937, in Ganjam, she was not only a seasoned politician but also a dedicated social activist. Her father, Raja RVM Niladri Deo, and her husband, Purunchandra Mardaraj Deo, played significant roles in her life.
She represented the Assembly from 1974 to 2014, and from 2009 to 2019, she served as an MLA on a Biju Janata Dal ticket from Kabisuryanagar constituency. Despite her long political career, she declined offers of a Cabinet berth.
The mortal remains of V Sugnana Kumari Deo will arrive in Bhubaneswar in the evening via a special aircraft from Chennai. Her body will be taken to her residence in Khalikote for the final rites. The demise of this political stalwart marks the end of an era in Odisha politics.