DEATH OF A FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE IBINIDONBINIGHTENGLE: BINODINI PATNAIK

Odishabarta

I am deeply saddened at the sad demise of Binodini Patnaik, of my native village, Olasingh in Khordha district on early hours of 7th July, 2021 at her Cuttack home. From my childhood I used to call her “Bini Mausi” as she was very close to my Mama and wife of Shri Laxman Patnaik, a very close associate of my father , Raghunath Patnaik, who was one of the 27 founder members of the Communist Party in Odisha under leadership of Bhagabati Charan Panigrahi.

My village was a breeding ground of leftists as eminent C.P.I.(M) leader Shivaji Patnaik also belonged to my village. During the pre-independence days , Communist Party was under active surveillance of the Government and Communist literature literatureswere were banned. The British Government was bent upon to prevent circulation of the Manifesto of the Communist Party. Interestingly Interestingly a copy of the said book was in the personal library of my father. The intelligence department of the then Government got the information and started conducting raids on our house. At this point of time Bini Mausi was assigned the task of secretly taking away the book and look after its safety. She immediately accepted the assignment and took the book and hide it inside her clothing clothing avoiding the eyes of police and finally hiding it in a place beyond suspension.

She had tremendous weakness for the left activists and when Nandini Satpathy a fire brand student leader was admitted into the hospital being injured in the police action and was surrounded by the police in the hospital , the Comrades had no source to get information about health of Satpathy, Bini Mausi managed to provide two sets of Doctors Uniforms and Stethoscope to enter the ward and meet Nandini Devi avoiding the police.

For her sincerity to serve the patients she created image like Florence Night angle and was selected for higher study and training in Australia.

Subsequently she became the Principal of Nursing Training College and finally retired as Director Nursing.

To spend her time in proper manner she appeared for Law and started practicing in Odisha High Court along with Laxaman Dada. Unfortunately though Laxaman Dada joined CPI (M) his relationship with Baba was very good till their last.

Now demise of Bini Mausi has saddened all of us and I pray for her immortal soul to rest in peace. She will be remembered for ever fir her love and rare qualities. I am always proud of her and Laxaman dada .