Guruprasad Mohapatra is a senior Indian Administrative Services Official who lost his life last year due to Covid 19. In spite of himself being infected, the brilliant Civil Servant worked for arranging oxygen supply for the needy from the ICU itself. He was conferred with Padma Shri this year by the Government of India for his valour and efforts towards the betterment of the country during the pandemic situation.
His wife Anjali Mohapatra said to a leading daily, "I am very grateful that the government has recognised his contribution. I am very humbled by the gesture. There is sadness mixed with happiness on this occasion."
Know about Guruprasad Mohapatra's life and his journey as an IAS below.
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IAS Guruprasad Mohapatra Honoured With Padma Shri: Life, Work & Achievements-
Guruprasad Mohapatra's wife recalled while talking to the media, “For him, this was the most important thing [to ensure oxygen supply] because every day was a difficult situation. I remember him working throughout Sunday [April 19, 2021], the day he was hospitalised. And, when he was taken to the ICU, he continued to coordinate efforts from there. To him work was worship.”
Guruprasad Mohapatra was posted as the Secretary of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) at the time of the pandemic. This is why it was his major job to secure oxygen supply for the needy. Guruprasad was a Gujarat Cadre IAS officer who played key roles in projects like Sabarmati Riverfront and was the one to introduce model roads in Ahmedabad.
Mohapatra was also the chairman of the Airport Authority of India, AAI, before he joined DPIIT. He was a 1986 batch IAS Officer. He was moved to New Delhi after PM Modi took the oath as the Prime Minister.
Mohapatra lived in Bhubaneswar in Odisha and had a masters in political science from Jawaharlal Nehru University.
He was first posted as Surat Municipal Commissioner between 1999 and 2002 in Gujarat.
He held important positions lie that of the managing director of Gujarat Alkalies and Chemicals Ltd in Vadodara, Commissioner of Transport, Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Department and Municipal Commissioner of Ahmedabad.
Mohapatra was also among those in the race for the post chief secretary of his parent state.
He headed the development of several urban projects including the Sabarmati Riverfront, BRTS and Kankaria lakefront while working as the municipal commissioner of Ahmedabad
He was the founder officer for the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (SVP) Hospital project.
IAS Guruprasad Mohapatra Padma Shri: Death
Mohapatra was admitted to AIIMS on April 18 after he was infected with Covid. He was in the hospital for over one-and-a-half months from where he worked continuously for the people of the country.
Mohapatra died of post-Covid 19 complications on June 19, 2021. he was a precious part of the Indian Bureaucracy and the Prime Minister also paid his condolences on his demise.
He is remembered as a polite officer and a great problem solver by the people who worked with him. He lost his life at the age of 59.
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