Who Was Naba Kisore Das? 

The strong leader Naba Kisore Das, from the western part of the state, and a three-time MLA passed away after multiple gunshot wounds on Sunday, January 29, 2023.

He was believed to be the richest in the state cabinet. He had a penchant for luxury cars and owned 40 of them.

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik Condoling his untimely death said that the late leader was an asset to the government and his party. 

The minister went under treatment before passing away at a private hospital in Bhubaneswar.

The policeman fired at him when he reached Brajrajnagar in Jharsuguda for a program early in the morning. The shooter was the assistant sub-inspector, identified as Gopal Das. He was immediately nabbed by local residents and handed over to the police.

Shocked and disturbed by the death of Shri Naba Kishore Das ji, Odisha Health minister, in a dastardly act of violence. My deepest condolences to his family and well wishers.

— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) January 29, 2023

READ|List Of Cabinet Ministers Of Odisha 2023

 Naba Kisore Das: Biography

Kisore Das: Early Life and Education

• Naba Kisore Das was Born on January 7, 1962.
• He completed his matriculation from Sambalpur Bhojpur High School in 1978.
• In 1989, he graduated in English  as well as law in 1994. 
• He joined Congress in the 1980s while he was still a student at Gangadhar Meher College in Sambalpur.
• Recently, he was in the limelight after offering prayers at the Shani temple in Maharashtra’s Shingnapur, where he donated close to 1 crore gold kalas.

Beginnings

• He contested the Jharsuguda assembly seat on a Congress ticket for the first time in 2004, where he was defeated. 
• In 2009, he was elected as the MLA when he contested once again 
•  In 2014, he fought the polls on a Congress ticket and became the MLA for the second time.
• He presented himself as a frontline leader of the Congress, he was already the acting president of the state unit of the party. 
• In 2019 he left Congress and joined the BJD. 
• He once again registered a victory for the third time.

Naba Kisore Das: Journey and Career

• Naba Kisore joined the BJD just before the 2019 assembly elections.
• He was Formerly associated with Congress.
• He then became an MLA for the third consecutive time.
•  He was given charge of the health and family welfare department later on. 
• He successfully dealt with the Covid-19 pandemic in the state in 2020 and 2021 as the health minister.
• He also efficiently handled the mass vaccination drive against Covid.
• He was active in state politics and was an influential leader.

 Naba Kisore Das: Death

• The Minister, Naba Kisore Das was undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Bhubaneswar.
•  The policeman fired at him and reached Brajrajnagar in Jharsuguda for a program early in the morning. 
• The assistant sub-inspector was identified as Gopal Das.
• He was later nabbed by local residents and handed over to police.

Naba Kisore Das: Grievances and condolences 

Patnaik, who expressed deep shock and distress over the minister’s death, said 

“Naba Kisore was instrumental in strengthening the BJD and was a grassroots leader. He further said the doctors made every possible effort to save him but unfortunately, he could not recover from the fatal injuries.

“As a leader, he was instrumental in strengthening the Biju Janata Dal; he was a grassroots leader, and loved and respected by all. He cut across party lines and sections of people. His death is a great loss to the state of Odisha," Patnaik said, 

I am deeply anguished by the sudden demise of Odisha Minister Shri Naba Kisore Das due to a fatal attack earlier today.

I extend my deepest condolences to his family and followers. May they find strength and peace in this difficult hour.

— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) January 29, 2023

The very unfortunate demise of Odisha’s Health Minister Shri Naba Das Ji is extremely shocking. I am pained at this incident.

My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family.

ऊँ शांति 🙏

— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) January 29, 2023

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