2016 - Biju Patnaik Birth Centenary | Commemorative Coin
The 2nd commemorative coin for the year 2016 was released to mark the Birth Centenary of Biju Patnaik.
Bijayananda Patnaik, widely known as Biju Patnaik (5 March 1916 – 17 April 1997), was a seasoned politician who served as the Chief Minister of Odisha for two terms.
Initially educated at Ravenshaw College in Odisha, Biju Patnaik's passion for aviation led him to abandon his academic pursuits and pursue training as a pilot. During the onset of the Second World War, he joined the Royal Indian Air Force, eventually rising to the position of the head of the air transport command.
Biju Patnaik forged a significant connection with Jawaharlal Nehru during India's struggle for independence, becoming one of Nehru's trusted friends. Nehru, seeing parallels between the freedom movements of India and Indonesia, recognized Indonesia as a potential ally. When the Dutch sought to suppress Indonesian independence on 21 July 1947, President Sukarno instructed Sjahrir, the former Prime Minister of Indonesia, to leave the country for the first Inter-Asia Conference organized by Nehru in July 1947 and to garner international support against the Dutch. As the Dutch controlled Indonesian sea and air routes, Sjahrir couldn't depart. Nehru, relying on Biju Patnaik's adventurous spirit and piloting expertise, tasked him with rescuing Sjahrir. Biju Patnaik and his wife flew to Java, successfully bringing Sultan Sjahrir out on a Dakota, reaching India via Singapore on 24 July 1947. In recognition of this act of bravery, Patnaik was bestowed with honorary citizenship in Indonesia and the 'Bhoomi Putra,' the highest Indonesian award rarely granted to a foreigner. In 1996, as Indonesia celebrated its 50th Independence Day, Biju Patnaik was honored with the highest national award, the 'Bintang Jasa Utama.'
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