Ram Chandra Patra
Encyclopedia
Ram Chandra Patra, IAS (retd.) is a known bureaucrat, social worker, and administrator from Kalahandi district in Orissa
and who has been acknowledged for his simplicity. He is considered one of the known personalities of Kalahandi district, India for his simplicity, public service and first IAS officer from the region. He was born in Dharamgarh on 16 January 1919 of Kalahandi district. He obtained his B.A. degree from Patna University in 1937 and was the only candidate getting honours. Subsequently he received first class in LL.B from Alllahabad University in 1943 and worked as deputy collector, treasury offcier, SDO & SDM in the erstwhile Kalahandi state. While working for the princely Kalahandi state he has taken various initiatives for development of roads in Kalahandi. Along with the idea of Professor Bhubaneswar Behera, Maharaja Pratap Kishore Deo and he took initiative for Indravati dam. When Kalahandi lost it princely state status and joined union of India as a constituent he joined as civil servant to the Indian Government through UPSC test for Orissa, Bihar and Madhya Pardesh. He was the among first IAS from Kalahandi. Though during his career as IAS he did not get opportunity to work in Kalahandi, after his retirement he was involved in many social work and upliftment of poor people. He was among the first to take initiative to establish Panchayat College Dharamgarh
in 1980 and served as first President to the college administrative board. He was members of various developmental committee of Kalahandi after his retirement. Despite serving as a commissioner to various Department of Orissa Government, Mr. Patra has lived a simple village life like Gandhi after his reiterment. He still uses bullock cart for his communication. His simple life has attracted media attention recently.
During LL.B Mr. Patra met all political leaders like Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru
, Muhammad Ali Jinnah
, Vallabhbhai Patel, Abul Kalam Azad, Dr. Rajendra Prasad
, C. Rajagopalachari
, Subhas Chandra Bose, Sarojini Naidu
etc., attended AICC/Muslim/Hindu Maha Sabha Silver Jubilee, Banaras Hindu University. As student of Ravenshwa College attended Mahatma Gandhi's visit to Delang in Puri district in 1938, as a Sevadal member and joined in the procession to welcome Subash Chandra Bose the then president of Congress on an elephant at Cuttack. He also participated in Quit India movement in the year 1942. Since retirement, Mr. Patra is working for the upliftment of sick and poor of Kalahandi district and augmenting funds to the red cross society. Being a son of soil, his personality has been covered by various major media such as Samaja, Sambad including leading TV channels like ETV Oriya. His work as civil servant in the natural calamities hit Kendrapada region was also highly appreciated.
Orissa
Orissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April...
and who has been acknowledged for his simplicity. He is considered one of the known personalities of Kalahandi district, India for his simplicity, public service and first IAS officer from the region. He was born in Dharamgarh on 16 January 1919 of Kalahandi district. He obtained his B.A. degree from Patna University in 1937 and was the only candidate getting honours. Subsequently he received first class in LL.B from Alllahabad University in 1943 and worked as deputy collector, treasury offcier, SDO & SDM in the erstwhile Kalahandi state. While working for the princely Kalahandi state he has taken various initiatives for development of roads in Kalahandi. Along with the idea of Professor Bhubaneswar Behera, Maharaja Pratap Kishore Deo and he took initiative for Indravati dam. When Kalahandi lost it princely state status and joined union of India as a constituent he joined as civil servant to the Indian Government through UPSC test for Orissa, Bihar and Madhya Pardesh. He was the among first IAS from Kalahandi. Though during his career as IAS he did not get opportunity to work in Kalahandi, after his retirement he was involved in many social work and upliftment of poor people. He was among the first to take initiative to establish Panchayat College Dharamgarh
Dharamgarh
Dharamgarh is one of the sub-divisional head quarters in the district of Kalahandi in India. It is also referred as Dharmagarh. Orissa state Government has a plan to make this town as NAC area since past decade, but it has not been officially materialized...
in 1980 and served as first President to the college administrative board. He was members of various developmental committee of Kalahandi after his retirement. Despite serving as a commissioner to various Department of Orissa Government, Mr. Patra has lived a simple village life like Gandhi after his reiterment. He still uses bullock cart for his communication. His simple life has attracted media attention recently.
During LL.B Mr. Patra met all political leaders like Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru , often referred to with the epithet of Panditji, was an Indian statesman who became the first Prime Minister of independent India and became noted for his “neutralist” policies in foreign affairs. He was also one of the principal leaders of India’s independence movement in the...
, Muhammad Ali Jinnah
Muhammad Ali Jinnah
Muhammad Ali Jinnah was a Muslim lawyer, politician, statesman and the founder of Pakistan. He is popularly and officially known in Pakistan as Quaid-e-Azam and Baba-e-Qaum ....
, Vallabhbhai Patel, Abul Kalam Azad, Dr. Rajendra Prasad
Rajendra Prasad
Dr. Rajendra Prasad was an Indian politician and educator. He was one of the architects of the Indian Republic, having drafted its first constitution and serving as the first president of independent India...
, C. Rajagopalachari
C. Rajagopalachari
Chakravarti Rajagopalachari , informally called Rajaji or C.R., was an Indian lawyer, independence activist, politician, writer and statesman. Rajagopalachari was the last Governor-General of India...
, Subhas Chandra Bose, Sarojini Naidu
Sarojini Naidu
Sarojini Naidu , also known by the sobriquet The Nightingale of India, was a child prodigy, Indian independence activist and poet...
etc., attended AICC/Muslim/Hindu Maha Sabha Silver Jubilee, Banaras Hindu University. As student of Ravenshwa College attended Mahatma Gandhi's visit to Delang in Puri district in 1938, as a Sevadal member and joined in the procession to welcome Subash Chandra Bose the then president of Congress on an elephant at Cuttack. He also participated in Quit India movement in the year 1942. Since retirement, Mr. Patra is working for the upliftment of sick and poor of Kalahandi district and augmenting funds to the red cross society. Being a son of soil, his personality has been covered by various major media such as Samaja, Sambad including leading TV channels like ETV Oriya. His work as civil servant in the natural calamities hit Kendrapada region was also highly appreciated.