Bhubneshwar, October 12: Former Odisha Assembly Speaker Sarat Kumar Kar died at a private hospital in Bhubneshwar today. He was 81. Sarat Kumar Kar was admitted to the hospital after he had tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19). A veteran of the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD), Kar was elected to the Odisha assembly three times from Mahanga. He was also a member of the 6th Lok Sabha. Kartikeswar Patra, Veteran Congress Leader, Dies at 79 in Odisha.

The new of Kar's demise was shared by his grandson Ansuman Kar who said the BJD member fought like a warrior. Born on September 5, 1939, in Cuttack district, Sarat Kar joined politics in 1964 after completing his Masters in Political Science from the prestigious Allahabad University. An effective orator, Kar wrote four poetry books and one spiritual book. Several politicians condoled Kar's demise. District-level Committees in Odisha to Audit Quality of COVID Care Facilities.

Sarat Kumar Kar Dies at 81:

Expressing condolences over Kar's death, Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal said: "His contributions to the socio-political and cultural life of Odisha will be remembered forever." Kar, an ardent devotee of Lord Jagannath, had been giving commentary on the Rath Yatra festival on All India Radio, Doordarshan and private TV channels for almost 45 years.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 12, 2020 05:44 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).