At dawn, senior bureaucrats, including the Chief Secretary, in tracksuits, briskly converge at project sites to review progress and set completion targets — a distinctive routine during past years in Odisha. As the project executors stand ready with their briefings, all eyes fall on an IAS officer positioned at the forefront. His presence is considered pivotal in ensuring that projects meet their targets and advance rapidly.
Meet V.K. Pandian, the Tamil Nadu-born aide of Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, and a force behind the swift implementation of several projects. He now holds the rank of a Cabinet Minister as Chairman of 5T (Transformational Initiatives) and Nabin Odisha.
Until recently, he served as the longest-standing private secretary to the Odisha CM, earning both Opposition scrutiny and the ruling Biju Janata Dal’s (BJD) admiration.
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The CM has never been in doubt of the loyalty and efficiency of this 2000-batch IAS officer. Mr. Pandian had applied for voluntary retirement from the IAS on October 20 (Friday), 2023. Next two days were public holidays. Approval with waiver of the notice period came on October 23 — a pace unheard-of in the Department of Personnel and Training. The next day, a notification of his appointment as Chairman of 5T was issued by the State government. The transition of Mr. Pandian could not have been possible without the CM putting his weight behind it, exemplifying the deep trust he enjoys.
Often clad in a white shirt, the lanky bureaucrat has earned a reputation of being a go-getter. In 2002, Mr. Pandian became Sub-collector of Dharmagarh in Kalahandi district, beginning an impactful journey in governance. Subsequent postings as Collector of Mayurbhanj and Ganjam, two big districts, were test of his competency.
In 2011, he was posted as private secretary to the Odisha CM. Mr. Patnaik, who is set to become the longest serving CM of India by next year, had faced a rare crisis in 2012 when his former adviser, the late Pyari Mohan Mohapatra, raised a banner of revolt. Mr. Pandian was a key member of a select group that foiled the attempt to split the BJD. Since then, there has been no turning back for him.
Political acumen
During the initial years in the Chief Minister’s Office, he used to be reticent and elusive. Insiders observe that Mr. Pandian’s sharp political acumen, in addition to his routine official works and ability to design welfare programmes, earned him the confidence of Mr. Patnaik. Soon, the closeness moved beyond the State Secretariat to Naveen Niwas, the residence of the CM. Mr. Patnaik, a bachelor who was not in the best of health, found support and personal care from Mr. Pandian.
In 2019, the 5T initiative (team work, technology, transparency, transformation and time limit), a benchmark deciding the performance of government officials and project execution, was rolled out. Mr. Pandian headed the initiative accruing higher administrative power to review projects cutting across all departments.
Perhaps this confidence led him to think of and execute mega projects such as transforming SCB Medical College Hospital into AIIMS Plus institute, developing Puri as a world-class heritage town, laying foundation for Bhubaneswar metro project and creating massive sports infrastructure. The former IAS officer remained a controversial figure for the Opposition parties which accused him of misusing power. During his recent district tours, he had extensively used helicopters — unusual for a serving IAS officer. The criticism by the Opposition and the sharp newspaper editorials gradually calmed down when the CM said he had approved his visits.
Though Mr. Pandian never spoke of his political ambitions, the BJD and the Opposition parties knew that he was involved in formulating the party’s electoral strategies. BJD MPs and legislators never shied away from according their respect to Mr. Pandian. Political observers say it is a matter of time before Mr. Pandian would openly shed his inhibition and assume a greater role in the government and the party.
