Pratap Keshari Deo
Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
In office
1957–1980
Preceded byGiridhari Bhoi
Succeeded byRasa Behari Behara
ConstituencyKalahandi, Odisha
Personal details
Born(1919-10-05)5 October 1919
Bhawanipatna ,Odisha ,British India
Died8 October 2001(2001-10-08) (aged 82)
New Delhi, India
Source:

Maharaja Pratap Keshari Deo (5 October 1919 – 8 October 2001) was an Indian politician. He was the last ruler of Kalahandi State from 1939 to 1947. Post-independence, he was elected from the Kalahandi in Odisha to the Lower House of the Indian Parliament the Lok Sabha.[1][2][3] He was deputy Leader of the Opposition, Orissa Legislative Assembly, 1952—1956.[4]

Maharaja of Kalahandi State

During the time Deo ruled Kalahandi, a major irrigation project was initiated on the Indravati River to build Indravati Dam,[5] and along with engineer Bhubaneswar Behera and administrator Ram Chandra Patra he visualized and prepared the blue print. This plan was disrupted by governmental changes in the early post-independence period. In 1948 Kalahandi lost its state status and was merged into Odisha[6]

Political career

Deo was a Member of Orissa Legislative Assembly and subsequently of the Lok Sabha. As a member of Swatantra Party Deo aligned with Rajendra Narayan Singh Deo who became the chief minister in 1967.

Deo initiated Kalahandi Science College in 1960, the predecessor of Kalahandi University.[7]

As a member of parliament, Deo continued to push for the Indravati Dam and rail connectivity from Kesinga to Ambaguda via Bhawanipatna and Junagarh. In 1962-1963 he had pointed out in the Parliament that Parkers had done a railway line survey from Kesinga to Nabarangpur to join Kothavalasa-Kirandul (KK) line, because Koraput-Kothavalasa and Koraput-Rayagada are e-special category railway routes having many tunnels and high-level bridges; the speed is limited (often less than 50 kmph) and number of wagon can’t exceed 30 during mineral transportations in these two routes.[8] Subsequently, Lanjigarh–Junagarh section under East Coast Railway Zone was completed in March 2014, which was sanctioned when local MP Bhakta Charan Das was minister of state for railway in 1990-91.

Deo had a special interest in archeology[9] and established the archeology society of Kalahandi.

Deo died in New Delhi on 8 October 2001, at the age of 82.[10]

References

  1. ↑ "Biographical Sketch Member of Parliament". Lok Sabha. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
  2. ↑ Prasanta Patnaik (1996). Lok Sabha Polls in Orissa, 1952-1991. Kalinga Communications (Publication Division). p. 183. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
  3. ↑ India. Parliament. Lok Sabha. Committee of Privileges (1967). Report. Lok Sabha Secretariat. p. 15. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
  4. ↑ "Members Bioprofile". loksabhaph.nic.in. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  5. ↑ "Latest Releases". pibarchive.nic.in. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  6. ↑ "Latest Releases". pibarchive.nic.in. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  7. ↑ "Government College (Autonomous), Bhawanipatna". gacbhawanipatna.org. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  8. ↑ Pioneer, The. "'Speed up Junagarh Rd-N'rangpur rly line works'". The Pioneer. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  9. ↑ "Members Bioprofile". loksabhaph.nic.in. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  10. ↑ "Lok Sabha Debates, 19 November 2001". Indian Kanoon. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
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