Former Union minister Debendra Pradhan, father of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, passed away in New Delhi on Monday. He was 84.

Born on July 16, 1941, in Nalam, Dhenkanal district, Dr Pradhan completed his MBBS from SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack in 1966. In 1967, he began his career as an Assistant Medical Officer at Dera in Talcher. In 1973, he took voluntary retirement and started private practice.

Pradhan entered politics by joining the BJP in 1980 and rose to prominence after being appointed party president for the undivided Dhenkanal district in 1983. He later served as the state BJP president in 1988 and was re-elected in 1990. He held the post again from 1995 to 1997, during which time Odisha witnessed the entry of Naveen Patnaik into state politics.

The doctor-turned-politician was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Deogarh constituency in 1998. He was appointed the minister of state for surface transport in the Vajpayee government.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah, and other political leaders visited Pradhan’s residence in New Delhi to pay their respects to his father. His body was flown from Delhi to Bhubaneswar this evening. His last rites will be performed at Swargadwar in Puri on Tuesday.