Pratap Chandra Sarangi (English: Pratap Chandra Sarangi, born January 4, 1955, Balasore, Odisha) is an Indian social worker and politician. He is famous because of his humble and simple nature. He once wanted to become a monk and live a solitary life, but his dedication towards society and sense of public service brought him to Narendra Modi’s cabinet. Pratap Chandra Sarangi remained associated with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh for a long time. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, he defeated BJD candidate Rabindra Kumar Jena from Balasore parliamentary seat by 12,956 votes. BJP National Executive member Pratap Chandra Sarangi is also called Modi of Odisha. Before contesting national elections, Sarangi was a member of the Odisha Legislative Assembly from 2004 to 2014. He has been the chief of Bajrang Dal in Odisha.
Introduction
Pratap Chandra Sarangi was born on 4 January 1955 in a Brahmin family of Gopinathpur village of Balasore. His father’s name was Govind Chandra Sarangi. He graduated in Arts from Fakir Mohan College, Baleshwar under Utkal University in 1975. Pratap Chandra Sarangi lives a very simple life. He uses a bicycle for commuting and an auto rickshaw for election campaigning. He is unmarried. His widowed mother died in 2018. He lives alone and considers the entire society as his family. Social service is his religion. He believes that the appropriate platform for this is politics. White beard, short white hair on head, bicycle and bag are his identity. There is a small house in the name of the property. If a poor person has any work, he goes straight to Pratap Chandra Sarangi’s hut.
desire to become a monk
Pratap Chandra Sarangi was inclined towards spirituality since childhood. He wanted to become a monk in Ramakrishna Math. Therefore, he has stayed many times in Belur Math located in Howrah, West Bengal. When Pratap Chandra Sarangi expressed his wish to the monks of the monastery, he obtained information about them. When Math came to know that his mother was alive and widowed, he requested Sarangi to return home and serve his mother. On this, Pratap Chandra Sarangi returned to the village and started serving the society along with his mother.
an incident
There are many such things about Balasore MP Pratap Chandra Sarangi, popularly known as ‘Modi of Odisha’, which shows his simple nature. There is an incident related to him. In 2009, when he was contesting the assembly elections in Odisha, BJP had given him a ticket, but he lost the ticket. Despite this, he did not ask for another ticket from the party and filed his nomination as an independent candidate. The reason for losing the ticket is also different. When he was traveling in a public transport bus, the ticket fell from his pocket, which was not found later.
Lok Sabha MP
Before being elected as Lok Sabha MP from Balasore, Pratap Chandra Sarangi had won as MLA from Nilagiri Assembly seat in 2004 and 2009. In 2004 on BJP ticket and in 2009 as an independent. Narendra Modi has given him a place in his cabinet and made him Minister of State. When he came to take oath, the courtyard of Rashtrapati Bhavan echoed with applause. He was also discussed a lot on social media. Pratap Chandra Sarangi is proficient in Hindi-Odia-Sanskrit languages. In his area he travels only by bicycle. Even in the elections, he was seen campaigning on an auto rickshaw. Because of his simplicity, people also call him ‘Modi of Odisha’. Sometimes he is seen serving animals and sometimes engrossed in meditation in a cave. People have become admirers of his simplicity. Even after winning the elections, not much has changed in his life. Even when he won the assembly elections in 2004 and 2009 on BJP ticket, he continued to live with the same simplicity. It is being told that he did not spend anything in his election campaign.