Odisha’s Ex-Chief Secretary and Literary Luminary Subas Pani Passes Away at 76

Pani passed away at his residence in Bhubaneswar at the age of 76. He is survived by his wife and two daughters. Cremation will be held at Satyanagar Crematorium at noon.

During his illustrious career, Pani served as Chief Secretary of the Odisha Government and held several eminent positions, including Deputy Election Commissioner at the Election Commission of India. His contribution to election management is widely recognised, having successfully overseen three national elections in 1996, 1998, and 1999.

A visionary in systems and IT, Pani played a pivotal role in establishing the Bhubaneswar Software Technology Park, fostering Odisha’s emergence in the tech space. In 2009, he was awarded the prestigious Fellowship of the Computer Society of India (CSI).

Beyond bureaucracy, Pani was a revered cultural curator. He composed the music for Sampoora Geetagovinda, a rare audio collection released by Saregama in 2008. His passion for the arts translated into the conceptualisation of festivals like Kumar Utsav in Jeypore, Mukteswar Dance Festival in Bhubaneswar, and the Ashtapadi Festival in Delhi. As a regular commentator for Doordarshan’s Ratha Yatra telecasts, his voice became a staple in Odisha’s cultural broadcasting.

Tributes poured in from across the state. Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi called Pani’s demise an “irreparable loss,” lauding him as a distinguished researcher of Jagannath culture and a prolific writer.

Deeply saddened by the passing of former Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren ji.
May Mahaprabhu Jagannath grant peace to his departed soul and strength to the bereaved family. Om Shanti.

— Mohan Charan Majhi (@MohanMOdisha) August 4, 2025

Deputy Chief Ministers Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo and Pravati Parida praised Pani’s multifaceted legacy in governance, literature, and cultural heritage.

Shri Singh Deo praised Pani’s scholarship on Jayadeva’s *Geetagovinda* and highlighted his impactful legacy in literature, governance, and the arts. “May Mahaprabhu Jagannath bless his soul to find eternal peace. Om Shanti,” he tweeted.

Deeply saddened by the passing of Dr. Subas Pani—renowned author, translator, composer, and creative visionary whose scholarship on Jayadeva’s *Geetagovinda* enriched India’s cultural heritage.

A distinguished civil servant, he served with grace and intellect as Chief… pic.twitter.com/boYleKoe0S

— Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo (Modiji Ka Parivar) (@KVSinghDeo1) August 4, 2025

Smt Pravati Parida called the death of Shri Pani an irreparable loss to the Odia literary world and prayed for the eternal peace of his soul, offering sympathy to his family and well-wishers.

In her X, she posted,

ସୁପରିଚିତ ଜଗନ୍ନାଥ ସଂସ୍କୃତି ଗବେଷକ, ଲେଖକ ତଥା ଓଡ଼ିଶା ସରକାରଙ୍କ ପୂର୍ବତନ ମୁଖ୍ୟ ଶାସନ ସଚିବ ଶ୍ରୀ ସୁବାସ ପାଣିଙ୍କ ପରଲୋକ ଖବର ଶୁଣି ଗଭୀର ଦୁଃଖିତ । ତାଙ୍କ ପରଲୋକ ଓଡ଼ିଆ ସାରସ୍ୱତ ଜଗତ ପାଇଁ ଏକ ଅପୂରଣୀୟ କ୍ଷତି । ମହାପ୍ରଭୁ ଶ୍ରୀଜଗନ୍ନାଥଙ୍କ ନିକଟରେ ତାଙ୍କ ଅମର ଆତ୍ମାର ସଦ୍‌ଗତି ନିମନ୍ତେ ପ୍ରାର୍ଥନା କରିବା ସହ ତାଙ୍କ… pic.twitter.com/m7G405fPhV

— Pravati Parida (@PravatiPOdisha) August 4, 2025

Subas Pani’s life stands as a testament to intellectual brilliance and artistic devotion. His legacy will continue to inspire generations across Odisha and India.