In a swift administrative move amid the growing threat of Cyclonic Storm Arnab, the Office of the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC), Government of Odisha, has deployed Madhusudan Dash, IAS, to Nuapada district with immediate effect.
According to Order No. 6181/SRC dated October 26, 2026, Dash, currently serving as Additional Secretary to the Government in the General Administration & Public Grievance Department, will assist, supervise, monitor and coordinate overall relief and restoration operations in Nuapada. He is directed to work closely with the district administration to ensure swift and effective implementation of relief management measures. The deployment is temporary and will remain in force until further orders. Dash has been instructed to proceed to Nuapada immediately and report compliance.
The order was issued “in view of the emergent situation arising out of the cyclonic storm over the Bay of Bengal, probable impact and in the interest of public service.” SRC has also officially announced the deployment on social media.
This comes as Cyclone Arnab, currently positioned over the east-central and adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal, is intensifying. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) expects it to become a severe cyclonic storm by late October 26 and a very severe cyclonic storm on October 27 before making landfall along the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam on the morning of October 28, with maximum sustained winds of 115–125 kmph gusting to 140 kmph. While the direct landfall is projected on the Andhra coast, southern and adjoining districts of Odisha face heavy to very heavy rainfall, strong winds and possible disruptions. Nuapada, in western Odisha, is among the areas expected to experience significant rainfall impact.
Dash brings relevant ground experience to the assignment. Until early October 2026, he served as Collector and District Magistrate of Nuapada before being transferred as Additional Secretary in the GA & PG Department. During his tenure in Nuapada, the district earned national recognition under his leadership for excellence in election management and logistics, including innovative use of helicopter support in remote and challenging areas during the Nuapada assembly by-election.
