Bhubaneswar: The Russian Embassy in New Delhi is set to honour former Odisha Chief Minister Biju Patnaik on May 9 every year in recognition of his courageous contributions during the Stalingrad Operation in the early 1940s.
The decision is aimed to commemorate the Soviet Union’s triumph over Nazi Germany during World War II. This year marks the 80th anniversary of Victory Day.
Russian Ambassador to India, Denis Alipov, has extended an invitation to BJD president and former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who is the younger son of Biju Patnaik, to attend the event to be held in New Delhi on Friday. External affairs minister S Jaishankar will be the chief guest at the event.
“In this solemn moment of pride, grief, and unwavering remembrance, we honour those who stood together against Nazism in the anti-Hitler coalition and commemorate the heroic deeds of the people of the former Soviet Union and its allies who bore the brunt of the most brutal conflict in human history. Among the heroes to whom we pay tribute is your late father,” the Russian Ambassador said in a letter to Naveen.
The letter described Biju as a ‘towering personality and a valiant pilot’ who participated in the Stalingrad Operation, supplying weapons to the besieged Red Army. In recognition of his contribution, Russia had awarded him the Jubilee Medal in 1995, on the 50th anniversary of Victory Day, for his bravery and courage. Biju died two years later.
As a pilot with Indian National Airways, Biju Patnaik played a key role in supplying weapons to the besieged Red Army during the Second World War. His efforts were part of the broader support to the Allied forces during the critical battle of Stalingrad.
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