Second Memorial Tribute Held for Veteran Kakatpur Leader Dhaneswar Padhi
Kakatpur, 22/03/2025 – (Tushar Ranjan Dixit): The second death anniversary and tribute meeting for the late Dhaneswar Padhi, senior priest of Raes Mahadev and veteran Congress leader from Kakatpur, was held yesterday in his native village of Raes. Padhi, who was once elected as the Sarpanch of Othaka Panchayat and served as the Vice President of the Puri District Congress, was known for his strong organizational leadership. He also served as a member of the election coordination committee and played a vital role in strengthening the Congress party during election periods. His efforts were instrumental in ensuring the victory of many candidates, including nominees and sarpanchs. For this reason, he was widely respected across the Kakatpur constituency as a strong organizer.
Although many of his close associates and advisors, such as the late Rabindra Nath Dixit, Lakshmidhar Khuntia, Durga Charan Nayak, and Prasanna Khuntia, are no longer alive, their absence has left a leadership void within the local Congress unit. Nevertheless, people still fondly remember Dhaneswar Padhi. On his second death anniversary, many admirers gathered at his photo to offer floral tributes and participated in the memorial event, sharing memories and praising his character and contributions.
Among those present were Kakatpur Sevak Samiti President Manoranjan Panda and his elder brother Chittaranjan Panda. Dhaneswar Padhi’s eldest son Bichitrananda Padhi, along with Pabitra Padhi, Tapan Padhi, Sanjay Padhi, Tarun Padhi, Baranya Padhi, Santosh Padhi, and Sukanta Padhi, also attended the event. The stage program was conducted by Abadhuta Swain. Kakatpur Block Chairman Sridhar Nayak attended as the chief guest, along with Prafulla Kumar Nayak, Radhu Charan Panda, Tushar Kanta Swain, Bipin Bihari Raut, Arakshita Kandi, and Rabindra Sasmal.
After the memorial meeting concluded, over two thousand people from nearby villages were served prasad and returned home, marking a heartfelt and respectful tribute to a beloved leader.
