V. Sugnana Kumari Deo, an 86-year-old veteran BJD leader and 10-time Odisha MLA, died on Saturday at a private hospital in Chennai while undergoing treatment, according to officials.
V. Sugnana Kumari Deo dies at 86: Cause of death and obituary information
V. Sugnana Kumari Deo died around 1 a.m., after Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and other senior party leaders visited her at the hospital on Friday night, according to sources. She belonged to the royal family of Khallikote.
Odisha Governor Raghubar Das, Naveen Patnaik, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, and many other dignitaries expressed their condolences following Deo’s death.
“I am saddened to learn of the death of V. Sugnana Kumar Deo. She was a very prominent BJD leader who contributed greatly to the organization. She has represented both Kabisuryanagar and Khalikote, leaving her mark on public service. She was ten times elected to the Assembly, so her loss is irreversible. In a post on X, Mr. Patnaik said, “May her soul rest in peace, and my deepest condolences to the bereaved family.”
1963 saw Deo’s initial election to the Odisha Assembly. She represented Khallikote as an MLA eight times and Kabisuryanagar as an MLA twice. In 1963, 1974, 1977, 1985, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2004, 2009, and 2014, she was chosen as the MLA.
