Former Odisha Minister and Veteran BJD Leader Damodar Rout Passes Away at 82

Bhubaneswar: Former Odisha minister and veteran BJD leader Damodar Rout breathed his last in the early hours of Friday while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Bhubaneswar. He was 82 years old.

Rout’s body was brought to his government residence at Unit-VI in Bhubaneswar today, allowing his supporters to pay their final respects to the departed leader.

The veteran politician had fallen seriously ill after suffering a massive heart attack on March 18 and was subsequently declared brain dead. His demise has left a void in Odisha politics, with leaders across party lines expressing condolences.

Damodar Rout served as an MLA for seven terms, representing the Erasma constituency five times and Paradip constituency twice, from 1977 to 2019. He held ministerial positions in various important departments of the Odisha government throughout his political career.

Born to Kapil Charan Rout and Sneha Rout on July 2, 1942, Damodar Rout entered the Odisha Legislative Assembly for the first time on a Janata Party ticket in 1977. He continued to be re-elected, representing different political affiliations over the years, including Janata Party (Secular) in 1980, Janata Dal in 1990, and BJD from 2000 to 2019.

Rout was a prominent figure in Odisha politics and served as a minister in both Biju Patnaik and Naveen Patnaik Cabinets. He held portfolios such as Information and Public Relations, Panchayatiraj, Social Welfare, Women and Children, Agriculture, Cooperatives, Fisheries and Livestock Development, and Health, among others.