Chancellor

Shri Janaki Ballav Pattanaik

Hon'ble Governor, Assam, India

Contact

The Chancellor,
Gauhati University,
Gopinath Bordoloi Nagar, Guwahati-781014,
Assam, India.

Positions Held

1. Orissa Chief Minister
2. President of the Orissa state unit of the youth wing of the Congress---1950
3. Union Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation and Labour---1980

Shri Janaki Ballav Patnaik was born at Rameswar, Puri on January 3, 1927. After receiving his early education at Khurda High School, he graduated in Sanskrit (Honours) from the Utkal University in 1947 and received his Master’s Degree in Political Science from the Banaras Hindu University in 1949.

On the conclusion of his University education, he took up Journalism and joined the EASTERN TIMES (English Daily) as Sub-Editor. In 1950, he became the Joint Editor of the EASTERN TIMES. Two years later, he became the Editor of the paper. Simultaneously, he took-up editorship of PRAJATANTRA (Oriya Daily). He was Editor of both the papers until 1967. He was the Editor of PAURUSHA, a monthly magazine published in Oriya, for a long time.

Shri Janaki Ballav Patnaik was a student leader all through his college days. He was President of the State Youth Congress in 1950. He had successfully led a tenants’ movement at Madhupur, Cuttack District in 1953. He was a member of the Working Committee of the Pradesh Congress Committee from 1954 to 1960. He was a member of the Standing Committee of the All-India Newspaper Editors’ Conference from 1956 to 1960 and of the Sahitya Akademi of Orissa from 1956 to 1967. He was a fellow of the Senate of Utkal University from 1957 to 1967. He was associated with many literary and Cultural Organisations in Orissa. He was President of the All Orissa Basic School Teachers’ Conference.

Shri Patnaik had widely travelled and also visited the United Kingdom, West Germany, the UAR, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Burma, USSR, Afghanistan, France, Italy and Israel. He is the author of Gautam Buddha-Biography. He also published a translation of Bhartruhari Nitisatak in Oriya in verse form.

Shri Patnaik was elected to Lok Sabha in 1971.

He was Deputy Minister of Defence in Mrs. Gandhi’s Cabinet from 1973 to 1975 and then Minister of State for Defence. He initiated many new schemes for the welfare of ex-servicemen and brought about improvement in the cantonment administration in the country.

Shri Patnaik was elected to Lok Sabha during the Lok Sabha Election held in January, 1980 and was the Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation and Labour.

Shri Patnaik was unanimously elected as Leader of the Congress (I) Legislative Party of Orissa. He was elected from Athagarh constituency in a bye-election, 1980 and became the Chief Minister. For the second time he was elected from Khurda and Athagarh Assembly constituency in 1985 and unanimously elected as leader of the Congress (I) party of Orissa and was sworn in as Chief Minister of Orissa.

Became the leader of Congress Legislature and took over the charge of Chief Minister for the third term on 15th March, 1995.

His hobbies are swimming and travelling.

He was the leader of opposition in the 13th Legislative Assembly.