By Vivek Pattanayak in Bhubaneswar, March 30, 2017 : In cricket if a batsman scores a century in each innings, it is a very rare achievement. It is remembered for long. In public life many start their career in civil service and distinguish themselves and leave a mark for posterity. In Odisha, in India and elsewhere in the world many have scored bright innings in permanent public service or career diplomacy to be remembered for years to come.

Rarely civil servants join political life after their retirement although it is not uncommon in India. In Odisha a brilliant career ended recently with passing away of Shri Pyarimohan Mohaptra after a long ailment spreading over almost a year or so. He had the distinction of being both in the domain of permanent civil service and active political career.

He was a brilliant student of economics and political science having studied in the historic Ravenshaw College, (now university) and in the legendary Allahabad University. His teachers were famous professors like Dr. Sadashiv Mishra and Dr. Shreeram Chandra Dash, and his Vice Chancellor was Dr.P.K.Parija, an eminent scientist. He acquired from them economic sagacity, political acumen and scientific temper. In the college he made a name for himself not only as a bright student but also left mark in the extra-curricular activities.

He joined the Indian Police Service in 1962 and soon after entered the Indian Administrative Service. For someone to be in the successor service of the covenanted Indian Civil Service created by the British, in the early sixties of last century coming from the family of middle class was considered then as a stupendous achievement. During the era of Nehru civil service was the bulwark of modern India.

He was district magistrate and collector in one of the backward most districts of Odisha although a cornucopia of valuable minerals, lush green forest with unique medicinal plants and other natural resources but also a habitat of the most primitive tribe called Juanga then due to generations of malnutrition, shackled by years of impoverishment and crippled by debilitating diseases was virtually on the precipice of extinction.

Pyari Babu, as he is popularly known today, was almost God sent messenger to this hapless district. Buttressed by the clarion call of “Garibi Hatao”given by Indira Gandhi supported by the programmes under Marginal Farmers’ and Agricultural Labourers’ Development Agency, CRASH Scheme for rural employment similar to the present day MNREGA, community development programme and ,assistance of international voluntary agencies, he started the relentless fight against disease, malnutrition and hunger with help of the dedicated officials of different departments and institutions to improve the lot of Juangas. He led the team with integrity, determination and commitment.

Those were days when there was no mobile telephone, no internet and no fax but only magneto telephone, pigeon service and ramshackle jeep. Sometime he had to walk long distances crossing rivulets, streams and nullahs and going over hills to reach the people staying in jungles and hilltops. He suffered a back injury which gave excruciating pain only to be cured by a magical homeopathic treatment given by an octogenarian by the name Dixit. The back pain visited him again and again later in life.

Pyari Babu held many important positions in his long civil service career with great success and left indelible mark wherever he served. He was known in the government for his brilliance, thoroughness, sincerity, integrity, straight talk and hard work.

After leaving civil service he was very active in political life of Odisha for two decades. On his passing away both his admirers and detractors had one common thing to say about him, whether he was Chanakya or Bairam Khan, he was a remarkable strategist and architect of a fledging regional political party which kept two national parties at bay for a fairly long period. Both his foes and friends would agree that he has taken a permanent place in political history of Odisha. History has one thing to say. Nothing succeeds like success. Success has many claimants to parenthood while failure is always an orphan.

In two innings he played in his career, they were remarkable and memorable. One can be out after a bright innings in many ways. One can be out trying a great shot or be out by poor stroke. One can be out bowled, lbw, caught, and also hit wicket. One can end the innings retired hurt. Future historians will make an assessment how and why his innings ended.