Former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Sujata Rout Karthikeyan has joined the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), marking her formal entry into active politics in Odisha.
Karthikeyan, who recently stepped away from a long administrative career, is the wife of former bureaucrat and senior BJD leader VK Pandian, a close aide of former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
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A former Odisha cadre IAS officer, Karthikeyan is known for her work in areas including women empowerment, maternal health, nutrition, education and sports development during her tenure in government service. She has also been associated with several welfare-focused initiatives of the Odisha government.
An alumnus of University of Delhi and Jawaharlal Nehru University, Karthikeyan was among the top performers during her academic years before joining the civil services. She served in key administrative roles in Odisha for nearly 24 years, contributing to policy implementation and governance programmes.
After joining the BJD, Karthikeyan said she was “fortunate” to have received the opportunity to work under Naveen Patnaik's leadership and serve the people of Odisha.
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She said she was once again blessed with the opportunity to work for the state and expressed her commitment to continue serving the people with dedication. Her entry into the BJD comes as the party looks to strengthen its organisational structure after facing a setback in the recent elections, where the party lost power in Odisha after 24 years of rule.
With her administrative experience and familiarity with governance, Karthikeyan's political debut is being seen as an important development within the BJD, particularly as the party prepares for its next phase under the leadership of Naveen Patnaik.
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