August 4
Dr.Subas Pani, former Chief Secretary of Odisha and a distinguished civil servant passed away at the age of 76 and is survived by his wife and two daughters. The mortal remains of Dr. Pani were consigned to flames at Satyanagar crematorium in Bhubaneswar.
Dr. Pani was an IAS officer from the 1972 batch and had a long and successful career. He held many key positions in both the Odisha Government and the Central Government. Before becoming Secretary in the Planning Commission, he was Chief Secretary of Odisha and then Deputy Election Commissioner of the Election Commission of India. He was also Secretary of Rural Development and Land Resources.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Deputy CM Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo expressed grief over the demise of Dr. Pani.
CM Majhi described Pani’s demise as an irreparable loss and prayed for the peace of his soul. He highlighted Pani’s distinguished work as a researcher of Jagannath culture and a writer.
Taking to his X handle, CM Majhi wrote: “I am deeply saddened and heartbroken to hear about the demise of Subas Pani, the former Chief Secretary of the Odisha Government, a distinguished researcher of Jagannath culture, and a writer. His passing is an irreparable loss for all of us. I express my condolences to the bereaved family and pray to Lord Jagannath for the peace of the departed soul. Om Shanti.”
“Deeply saddened by the passing of Dr. Subas Pani, a renowned author, translator, composer, and creative visionary whose scholarship on Jayadeva’s Geetagovinda enriched India’s cultural heritage. A distinguished civil servant, he served with grace and intellect as Chief Secretary to the Government of Odisha and Secretary to the Government of India. His legacy spans literature, governance, and the arts, each marked by depth, dignity, and devotion. May Mahaprabhu Jagannath bless his soul to find eternal peace,” said Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, Deputy Chief Minister of Odisha .
Known for his deep knowledge in systems, IT, industry, infrastructure, trade promotion, and electoral processes, Dr. Pani played a key role in the creation of the Bhubaneswar Software Technology Park. He played a crucial role in monitoring three national elections in 1996, 1998, and 1999, along with a number of state assembly polls.
Dr. Pani, a passionate academic and cultural aficionado, earned a PhD focused on Jayadeva’s Sri Geetagovinda and has penned numerous books and articles. His musical masterpiece ‘Sampoorna Geetagovinda’, launched as a collection of five CDs by Saregama in 2008, received widespread acclaim.
