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Bhubaneswar: When Union Ports, Shipping and Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated the Rs20-crore Piped Natural Gas (PNG) network at Paradip Port on Friday, the port achieved a distinction that older and larger Indian ports had not: its residential township became the first among the country’s 12 major ports to receive piped gas. The milestone at Paradip, however, did not emerge overnight. The final connection of gas pipelines to 546 residential quarters at Madhuban was the last stage of an infrastructure chain that had been built over nearly a decade. At the centre of that chain was a series of decisions taken during the tenure of former Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. From pushing the eastern India gas grid to developing a pipeline spur towards Paradip and expanding the City Gas Distribution network, the infrastructure architecture was put in place years before the Paradip Port Authority took the final step of piping gas into its township. The story, therefore, is best understood through a timeline. 2016: The eastern India gas grid gets its push The first major building block came with the Jagdishpur-Haldia-Bokaro-Dhamra Natural Gas Pipeline project, popularly known as the Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga. Under Pradhan’s tenure as Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister, the long-delayed eastern gas pipeline project was pushed as part of the larger effort to expand the natural gas network into the energy-starved eastern states. The objective was to create the basic gas highway that eastern India, including Odisha, had long lacked. Without that trunk pipeline, there could be no city gas network at Paradip and no PNG connection inside the port township. July 2017: Dhamra LNG Terminal foundation laid The second major piece of the energy architecture came on July 8, 2017, when the foundation stone for the Dhamra LNG Terminal was laid. The terminal was designed to become a major gas entry point for eastern India. Imported LNG could arrive at Dhamra, be converted back into natural gas and then injected into the pipeline grid. Thus, even as the Urja Ganga pipeline was being developed to carry gas across the eastern region, Dhamra was being developed as a major supply source for that network. March-December 2017: The city gas and Paradip connection The next layer was local distribution. As the government expanded the City Gas Distribution framework, Jagatsinghpur district, where Paradip is located, became part of the expanding gas distribution geography. BPCL emerged as the key company for building the local gas distribution network. Then came a particularly important development for Paradip. On December 17, 2017, Pradhan laid the foundation stone for the natural gas spur linking the Bhubaneswar-Cuttack-Paradip region. This was the physical extension that brought the national gas highway closer to Paradip. The chain was now beginning to take shape: a trunk gas grid for eastern India, a supply terminal at Dhamra, a spur towards Paradip and a City Gas Distribution framework for local consumers. 2018 onwards: Gas infrastructure and port modernisation move in parallel While the gas infrastructure was expanding, Paradip Port was simultaneously moving through an aggressive modernisation phase. The port had the financial strength to pursue infrastructure beyond cargo handling alone. With a net surplus exceeding Rs1,860 crore and its position among India's top cargo-handling ports, Paradip Port Authority had the financial capacity to invest in modernising its township and utility infrastructure. The port was also pursuing its Smart Port and Green Port objectives. This is where Paradip gained an advantage. The gas infrastructure outside the port was being created through the national pipeline and city gas network. Inside the port, a financially strong Port Authority was capable of investing in the last-mile infrastructure needed to bring that gas into residential homes. In effect, the two developments converged: the national energy grid was approaching Paradip at the same time that the Port Authority had both the resources and the modernisation agenda to make use of it. April-May 2023: Dhamra begins receiving and supplying gas The next major step came in 2023. On April 1, 2023, the Dhamra LNG Terminal received its first commissioning cargo. Full commercial operations began on May 6, 2023. The 5-million-tonne-per-annum terminal strengthened eastern India's gas supply infrastructure and provided a major regional source that could feed the pipeline network. The wider gas chain was now operational. Imported LNG could reach Dhamra, be regasified and transported through the expanding pipeline system towards consumers and industrial centres across the region. For Paradip, the essential upstream infrastructure was no longer merely on paper. 2024: Paradip Port and BPCL move to the township stage With the regional gas infrastructure in place, Paradip Port Authority moved to the final stage: taking gas inside the residential township. The PPA partnered with BPCL to develop the local PNG network in Madhuban. The project involved the construction of the distribution network and the supporting infrastructure required to reduce and regulate pipeline pressure before gas could be safely supplied to households. This was the crucial difference between having a gas pipeline near a city and having PNG reach homes inside a dedicated port township. 2026: The final link is completed By July 2026, the Madhuban de-compression infrastructure was ready and the first PNG supply began reaching residential complexes. On Friday, the completed Rs20-crore Phase-I network was formally inaugurated, covering 546 residential quarters in the Paradip Port township. That made Paradip the first major port in India to extend PNG connectivity to its dedicated residential township. The achievement was significant not because other major ports do not have access to natural gas in their surrounding metropolitan regions. Cities around ports such as Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata already have much larger gas infrastructure. Paradip's distinction lies in integrating the gas supply directly into the administrative residential ecosystem of a major port. The final outcome of a long infrastructure chain The sequence explains why Paradip was able to move ahead. 2016: The eastern India gas grid gets a major push through Urja Ganga. 2017: The Dhamra LNG Terminal is initiated as a major gas supply source, while the City Gas Distribution framework and the Paradip pipeline spur begin taking shape. 2018 onwards: Gas infrastructure expands alongside Paradip Port's modernisation and green initiatives. 2023: Dhamra begins commercial operations, strengthening the regional gas supply chain. 2024: Paradip Port Authority and BPCL begin the final township-level rollout. 2026: The Madhuban PNG network is commissioned and inaugurated. The final ribbon-cutting may have taken place in 2026, but the architecture behind the project was laid years earlier. That is where Dharmendra Pradhan's role becomes central. The PNG network inaugurated at Paradip is the visible end of a much larger energy infrastructure chain built during his tenure as Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister. The Port Authority supplied the final financial push and the last-mile township infrastructure. BPCL developed the local distribution system. Dhamra provided the regional energy gateway. GAIL's wider pipeline network created the transmission route. But the sequence that connected these pieces – from the eastern gas grid and Dhamra LNG Terminal to the Paradip spur and local City Gas Distribution network – was shaped during the period when Pradhan was leading the petroleum ministry. And that is how Paradip, backed by both the financial heft of one of India's strongest major ports and a decade-long energy infrastructure build-out, reached the finish line before many of the country's older and bigger ports. Also Read: Odisha Big IPS Reshuffle: Heavy-Hitting IGs Himanshu Lal, Satyabrat Bhoi Pulled Out from Field-Range Desks to State Command| Exclusive

Bhubaneswar: There are singers who acquire a voice, and there are a rare few whose very being appears to have been shaped around one. Pranab Patnaik belonged to the latter category. The serene depth in his eyes seemed made for devotional surrender; his broad, commanding facial structure suited the open-throated resonance that became his signature; and his calm, anchored stage presence reflected the extraordinary breath control with which he could scale high notes without strain. Even his minimalist gestures appeared to mirror the discipline of his music. In Pranab Patnaik, it often seemed as if nature had quietly matched the instrument to the man –and the man to the music. That instrument would go on to occupy a unique place in the golden era of Odia music. ‘Maa' Introduces Odia Music Gems, Pranab and Akshaya Pranab Patnaik made his debut in Odia film music in the landmark Maa in 1958 – the same film that also introduced another future legend, Akshaya Mohanty, to playback singing. Along with Akshaya Mohanty and Prafulla Kar, Pranab would eventually be remembered as the “Holy Trinity” of Odisha’s golden musical era. #ଶେଷ_ଦର୍ଶନ_କଲେ_ବାବୁ_ସିଂ ବିଶିଷ୍ଟ ଓଡ଼ିଆ କଣ୍ଠଶିଳ୍ପୀ ପ୍ରଣବ ପଟ୍ଟନାୟକଙ୍କ ୮୮ ବର୍ଷ ବୟସରେ ଭୁବନେଶ୍ୱରର ଏକ ଘରୋଇ ହସ୍ପିଟାଲରେ ପରଲୋକ ହୋଇଛି। ଏହି ଦୁଃଖଦ ଖବର ପାଇ ଏକାମ୍ର ବିଧାୟକ ବାବୁ ସିଂ ହସ୍ପିଟାଲରେ ପହଞ୍ଚି ଅମର ଆତ୍ମାର ଶେଷ ଦର୍ଶନ କରିବା ସହ ଶ୍ରଦ୍ଧାଞ୍ଜଳି ଅର୍ପଣ କରିଛନ୍ତି।#PranabPatnaik #BabuSingh… pic.twitter.com/STln3ZOTvW— Argus News (@ArgusNews_in) August 21, 2026 But even within that triumvirate, his place was distinctive. When Legends Akshaya and Prafulla Stepped Aside for Pranab’s Voice Akshaya Mohanty brought modernity, experimentation and a conversational, romantic musical sensibility. Prafulla Kar carried the fragrance of Odisha’s folk traditions, lyrical sweetness and rooted melodic richness. But Pranab Patnaik brought something else altogether – classical grandeur, vocal architecture and the dramatic power of the high register. And that was why, whenever the music demanded an exacting classical foundation, formidable pitch control or a song that had to soar above the ordinary, the call often fell on Pranab. Even Akshaya Mohanty and Prafulla Kar could turn to him when a composition required that special combination of raga discipline, open-throated weight and theatrical intensity. Pranab was the voice to which Odia music returned when the composition itself seemed to demand a larger canvas. Mastering the Duet: Collaborations with National Icons His extraordinary mastery over classical music made him equally formidable in duet singing with some of India's greatest female voices. With S. Janaki, he matched pitch with pitch in the soaring Purila Asha Mora from Paribar, composed by Upendra Kumar. The duet demanded precision in the upper register, with both singers negotiating high notes with remarkable control. With Vani Jairam, whose own classical grounding made her one of Indian playback's most musically accomplished voices, Pranab found a natural artistic counterpart in Jhumu Jhumu Nupura Baje, a semi-classical composition marked by rhythmic exchanges and delicate classical movements.With Usha Mangeshkar,  who brought a distinct playfulness and crisp Bollywood-style clarity in Odia cinema music, Patnaik added a highly commercial, toe-tapping flavor to Odia playback – Phula Renu Luchi Rahi – a lively, melodic track that highlights how comfortably Patnaik could pivot from heavy classical numbers to accessible, breezy romantic melodies. Solo Masterpieces: Weaving Ragas into Odia Playback His solo repertoire was equally revealing of his classical command. Mora Antara Mandire Rahi from Mala Janha, composed by Akshaya Mohanty, drew upon the Bhairavi idiom and remains one of the finest examples of semi-classical male playback in Odia cinema. In the Jagannath devotional Kala Kalebara Kanhai, based on Kafi or Mishra Kafi, his open-throated weight gave voice to spiritual surrender. Chaala Sakhi Aambhe, from Bhajans of Salbeg, rested on the serene Kalyan or Yaman framework, while Mun Je Amruta Sagara Bindu from Jibana Eka Nataka drew from Alhaiya Bilawal. This legendary track demanded both a high register and exceptional breath control. The Guru Who Built the Foundation Behind this seemingly effortless vocal authority lay rigorous classical training under Guru Kundal Adinarayan, an eminent classical maestro who remained more closely associated with the world of musical training than the glamour of mainstream cinema. It was under him that Pranab's voice was disciplined, expanded and conditioned. The training gave Pranab the structural strength to sustain long notes, move across a wide pitch range and execute classical embellishments without sacrificing tonal weight. More importantly, the classical grounding did not imprison him within rigid grammar. It enabled him to move between an Odissi devotional, a semi-classical composition and a high-drama film song while retaining the technical integrity of his voice. That training soon found its way into Odia cinema. Pranab formally entered the film industry with the 1958 landmark Maa. His talent was recognised by eminent music director Bhubaneswar Mishra, who composed for the film under the pseudonym Srikumar. The film also marked the debut of lyricist Gurukrushna Goswami and singer Akshaya Mohanty – a convergence of talent that would help reshape the course of Odia cinema and music. A Voice Across Five Decades From the late 1950s through the 1990s, Pranab Patnaik remained one of the most important voices in Odia playback. He sang across genres – Odissi, semi-classical music, devotional songs, modern compositions, folk-based melodies, ghazals and emotionally intense film numbers. His film journey stretched across more than 200 Odia feature films, with an estimated repertoire of over 600 recorded tracks, including non-film and traditional recordings. Among his most enduring songs were: Majhire... Uansa Rati Pahila from Chilika Tire, composed by Shantanu Mohapatra Mora Antara Mandire Rahi from Mala Janha, composed by Akshaya Mohanty Pahadara Sepakhe from Papa Punya Tuki Paradesi Nija Deshe from Sri Lokanath Jebethu Bujhili Jibanaku Re Mita Aa Sangata, his evergreen duet with Sikandar Alam from Sesa Srabana, composed by Prafulla Kar He was also the only male playback singer to win the Odisha State Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer seven times. The state later honoured him with the prestigious Jayadev Samman, the highest honour in Odisha cinema. A Brief Biography Pranab Kishore Patnaik was one of the defining male playback voices of Odia cinema's golden era. His career, spanning more than five decades, began with Maa in 1958 and went on to establish him as one of the most technically versatile singers in the history of Odia music. Classically trained, he developed a wide vocal range marked by deep resonance, open-throated projection, high-pitch control and exceptional breath command. His ability to combine classical grammar with cinematic emotion allowed him to sing with equal authority across devotional, semi-classical, Odissi, folk, ghazal and mainstream film music. For generations of listeners, Pranab Patnaik was not merely one of the three great voices of an era. He was its classical summit. A Tribute The loss of Pranab Patnaik is a loss that will be felt not only by Odia cinema but by the entire world of Odia music. His contribution was colossal, but his true greatness lay in his versatility. He could make a raga breathe with classical discipline, turn a devotional into an act of spiritual surrender, raise a high-pitched film song to dramatic splendour and still retain the emotional intimacy of a singer speaking directly to his listener. That rare balance of technique, power and emotion cannot be manufactured. Nor can it be easily replaced. Such geniuses are not born every time. With Pranab Patnaik, Odisha has lost one of the tallest pillars of its golden musical tradition. His songs will remain, his voice will continue to travel across generations, but his absence will leave a void in the Odia music world that will be difficult to fill. For a singer who could climb the most demanding notes with such ease, the silence he leaves behind may now be the hardest note for Odisha to endure. Also Read: From 'Kalia Asila Bhai, Kalia Asila...' to Eternity: Voice Behind Odisha's Timeless Jagannath Devotional Song S. Janaki Falls Silent at 88 | Special Report