Dr. Raseswari Panigrahi, former Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MLA from Sambalpur and a highly respected gynecologist and professor, breathed her last at 8:50 PM on Monday at her residence in Shanti Nagar, Sambalpur. She was 79.
According to family and medical sources, Dr. Panigrahi had been receiving home-based geriatric care for several months following physical injuries. Her condition deteriorated sharply this evening due to serious neurological complications, after which she lost the ability to speak. She passed away at her home despite ongoing treatment.
A trailblazer in both medicine and politics, Dr. Panigrahi’s career spanned over five decades of public service. Born on October 28, 1946, she began her journey as a school health monitor at Ispat Vidyalaya in Rourkela. She completed her schooling and higher secondary education at Gangadhar Meher College in Sambalpur before pursuing medicine.
She earned her MBBS and MD (Obstetrics & Gynaecology) from Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR), Burla, in 1977. Joining government service in 1972, she first served as a gynaecology specialist at the District Headquarters Hospital in Sundargarh. She later rose to become Professor and Head of the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology at VIMSAR, Burla, where she mentored generations of doctors and provided free medical care to thousands of underprivileged patients across Western Odisha and neighbouring states.
In 2014, she entered active politics and was elected as the BJD MLA from Sambalpur, following in the footsteps of her elder brother, the late Congress leader and former Union Minister Sriballav Panigrahi. During her tenure, she focused on women’s health, local development, and public welfare. She remained deeply connected to her medical roots, continuing private practice and social work even after leaving the assembly.
In April 2024, she resigned from the BJD, citing the party’s neglect of Sambalpur, but continued her social service through the Dr. Raseswari Panigrahi Trust.
Dr. Panigrahi remained unmarried and is survived by her extended family, including her nephews Priyadarshi and Rajarshi Panigrahi, sons of her late brother.
News of her passing has triggered an outpouring of grief across political and medical circles in Odisha. Leaders and citizens remember her as a compassionate doctor, honest politician, and tireless social worker who always put service before self.
Funeral arrangements are expected to be announced shortly by the family.
