Dr. Guruprasad Mohapatra

Dr Guruprasad Mohapatra, born in 1962 to Sahitya Akademi award winning writer Mohapatra Nilamani Sahu and Prasanna Kumari Devi was doubtless a cut above the rest. It was his ambition since his childhood days to join the Indian Administrative Service and he did so in 1986 . He saw this job as a god sent opportunity to serve the country . At every stage he tried to make a difference till his life was tragically cut short by covid. He always had the well being of the common man at the core of his heart and he exhibited this in an unparalleled manner be it as a District Development Officer of Surendranagar when he made it the first district of Gujarat to implement the Integrated Wasteland Development Project or when he was battling for life in the ICU working all the while to ensure the production and supply of oxygen to hospitals across the country during the height of the covid crisis. It was thanks to his extraordinary efforts that many lives could be saved. He was a visionary and it was this quality which propelled him to the forefront . The Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) scheme which he piloted later in his career actually symbolized what he stood for right from the beginning of his bureaucratic life.

Extracts from Prime Minister’s ‘Mann Ki Baat’

"Friends, you have probably heard the name of Guru Prasad Mohapatra ji, who was the Secretary to the Government of India. Today in "Mann Ki Baat", I want to speak about him too. Guruprasad ji was diagnosed with Corona, he was admitted in the hospital and yet at the same time was per- forming his official duties too. He toiled day and night to increase the oxygen producing capacities of the country and to ensure that oxygen reached far flung areas. On the one hand, the affairs of the court, the pressure of the media, he kept fighting on many fronts simultaneously and did not stop working during his illness. Even after being told not to, he used to insist on joining the video conferences on oxygen. Such was his concern for his countrymen. He kept on making arrangements to deliver oxygen to the people of the country, regardless of himself being on the hospital bed. It is sad for all of us that the country has also lost this Karma Yogi; Corona has snatched him away from us. There are countless people who have never been discussed. Our tribute to every such person would be that we follow the covid protocol fully, get our vaccinations done."

Awards and Appreciations

01

UGVCL was awarded the prime minister’s medal as the third-best distribution company.

02

Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation received the national award under the flagship scheme of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation as the Best City under Basic Services to the Urban Poor (BSUP)

03

Was awarded as , “UNSUNG HERO” posthumously for the work he did in the covid pandemic in the Healthgiri awards of India Today Group on 2nd October.

Tributes

Goodbye Dear Guru (Eugene Karthak)

Dr Guru Prasad Mahapatra or popularly known “Guru” was our classmate in CPS/SSS at JNU during M.A days.He was one of the soft spoken and very l

Dr. Guruprasad Mohapatra -An Iconic Personality (Asit Vora)

Aperson par excellence! It’s very difficult to pen down anything for such a great personality. Memories, attributes and physical creations prov

Knowing Guru (Lord Meghnand Desai)

I first met Guru at a large family gathering in Delhi when he was Chairman of the Airports Authority of India. Even after seventeen years of ou