Bhubaneswar: Odisha-born bureaucrat and Secretary of Union Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) Guruprasad Mohapatra died of Covid-19 related complications Saturday.
Mohapatra passed away early in the morning while undergoing treatment at AIIMS in New Delhi. He was admitted to the hospital a few days ago after testing positive for the virus, an official source said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled Mohapatra’s demise and tweeted, “Saddened by the demise of Dr Guruprasad Mohapatra, DPIIT Secretary. I had worked with him extensively in Gujarat and at the Centre. He had a great understanding of administrative issues and was known for his innovative zeal. Condolences to his family and friends. Om Shanti.”
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Union Minister Piyush Goyal also expressed his grief and tweeted, “Extremely saddened to hear about the loss of Dr Guruprasad Mohapatra, Secretary DPIIT. His long-standing service and dedication to the Nation have left a lasting impact. I convey my deepest sympathies to his family and friends.”
Mohapatra, a 1986 batch Gujarat cadre IAS officer, was the youngest son of renowned Odia litterateur Mohapatra Nilamani Sahoo.
Prior to his appointment as the DPIIT Secretary in 2019, Mohapatra served as the Chairman of Airports Authority of India (AAI).
PNN