Odisha’s outgoing Governor Ganeshi Lal (left) with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. (Image: special arrangement)
Lal had assumed the office of the 25th Governor of Odisha in 2018. He completed his five-year tenure in May this year. However, he continued to serve as there was no official announcement regarding his successor by President Droupadi Murmu
Odisha’s outgoing Governor Ganeshi Lal on Friday bid farewell to the state and left for his home state Haryana. On the eve of his departure from the state, a farewell ceremony was held to honour him at the Raj Bhavan in Bhubaneswar. He was also accorded a guard of honour.
Talking to reporters at his farewell ceremony, he said, “Odia people are fortunate to stay near Lord Jagannath all the time and I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to serve Odisha. The state has enriched my knowledge. And I can say this with conviction that in the times to come, this conflicting world will vanish and there will be an erection of an elegant edifice, a city of mankind (Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam). If there is any place that can act as the foundation of this city, then it will be Odisha state. A unique elevation of my consciousness has taken place on this land. I pay my obeisance to the holy soil and its virtuous people.”
On Thursday, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik also paid a courtesy visit and met Lal at the Raj Bhavan. He was accompanied by the new chairman of 5T and Nabin Odisha VK Pandian.
“Glad to meet the Governor of #Odisha Prof. Ganeshi Lal Ji who is leaving Odisha after serving the state for more than five years. Thank him for his service to the state and convey my good wishes,” Patnaik said on ‘X’ (formally Twitter.
Senior BJP leader and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi, and other dignitaries were present at the airport in Bhubaneswar when Lal left the state after serving the highest constitutional post for five years and five months.
Lal had assumed the office of the 25th Governor of Odisha in 2018. He completed his five-year tenure in May this year. However, he continued to serve as there was no official announcement regarding his successor by President Droupadi Murmu.
It is also to be noted here that former Jharkhand chief minister Raghubar Das has been appointed as the new Governor of Odisha on October 19.
(with inputs from PTI)