Veteran BJD leader and 10-time MLA V Sugnana Kumari Deo passes away at 87

Sugnana was first elected to the state assembly as a Congress candidate in 1963 from the Khallikote constituency after the seat was vacated due to the untimely demise of her father-in-law Raja Rama

Updated on: Feb 10, 2024, 12:33:23 IST

By Debabrata Mohanty

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Bhubaneshwar: Veteran Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader and Odisha’s longest-serving legislator V Sugnana Kumari Deo passed away late on Friday night at a private hospital in Chennai, officials said. She was 87.

Sugnana Kumari, who belonged to the royal family of Khallikote, was the daughter-in-law of Rama Chandra Mardaraj Deo (HT Photo/Sourced)

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday reached the private hospital in Chennai, where she was undergoing treatment, to inquire about her health condition. According to hospital officials, she breathed her last at about 1am.

Sugnana Kumari, who belonged to the royal family of Khallikote, was the daughter-in-law of Rama Chandra Mardaraj Deo, erstwhile king of the princely estate of Khallikote in Ganjam district.

A 10-time member of the Odisha Legislative Assembly, Sugnana never became a minister as she spurned repeated offers, reiterating that “a queen never becomes a minister”.

Sugnana was first elected to the state assembly as a Congress candidate in 1963 from the Khallikote constituency after the seat was vacated due to the untimely demise of her father-in-law Raja Rama.

However, she left Congress to join the Utkal Congress, a regional political party formed in 1970 and lost two subsequent elections from Khallikote but was elected for the second time in 1974. She again won from Khallikote in 1974 and 1977 from Congress and Janata Party, respectively.

After winning again in 1985 from Khallikote on the Janata Party ticket, Sugnana never lost any election till 2014, when she contested from the Kabisuryanagar assembly constituency on the BJD ticket. She did not contest the assembly poll in 2019.

Born in Chennai on August 5, 1937, to King RVM Neeladi Deo, Sugana had a brilliant academic career. She did her MA in Social Work from Madras University.

Condolences poured in from all quarters following the demise of Deo.

“I am saddened to hear about the demise of Sugyana Kumari Deo, a prominent politician. As a senior leader of the Biju Janata Dal, she was instrumental in organizing the party. She has left her mark in public service by representing Khalikot and Kabisuryanagar assembly constituencies 10 times. It is an irreparable loss. May her soul rest in peace and my condolences to the bereaved family members,” Patnaik on X.

Condoling her death on X, Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan wrote, “I am deeply saddened to know about the sad demise of renowned politician, former MLA and Khallikote queen V Sugnana Kumari Deo. She was a very popular figure in Odisha. With her demise, Odisha lost an outspoken leader. Her contribution to the society as a people’s representative in the State politics will always be remembered. May her soul rest in peace! I also extend my sympathy to the bereaved family members. Om Shanti.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Debabrata Mohanty
Debabrata Mohanty is a senior assistant editor of Hindustan Times who works as state correspondent from Odisha covering the state's politics, governance, public policy, natural disasters, environment and its society for close to three decades. With his long years of reporting from the state capital of Bhubaneswar, Mohanty has been known as one of the most experienced and credible journalists covering Odisha for the national English dailies. His reporting combines on-ground detail with deep institutional knowledge detailing the state's changing politics, governance issues, administrative reforms and the functioning of its public institutions. He has regularly reported on issues ranging from legislative developments and public policy implementation. Politics is his core areas of expertise as he closely tracks Odisha's political landscape, including the rise and transformation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the two principal political parties in Odisha. His long association with the state's political establishment enables him to write on contemporary developments in a larger political context. Mohanty takes a deep interest in writing human interest stories, environmental issues and documenting the impact of cyclones, floods, heatwaves, and other climate-related events in one of the most disaster-prone states. His coverage extends to public health, governance reforms and stories on accountability of government institutions. Before joining Hindustan Times, Mohanty worked with The Indian Express, Mail Today, and The Telegraph, where he covered at least six general elections and as many assembly elections. In 2007, he was selected for the prestigious Chevening Young Indian Print Journalist Programme at the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, where he received advanced training in print journalism. In 2009 he won the Press Institute of India-International Committee of Red Cross award on conflict reporting for his on-ground reportage of 2008 Kandhamal riots.Read More

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