Orissas power couples

Ardhendu Sarangi is Director General of the Gopabandhu Academy of Administration and Madhur Sarangi is Chairperson of the Orissa Forest Development Corporation. Ardhendu was quite powerful during Naveens first term between 2000 and 2004. Both he and his wife were part of the CMs favourite Navagraha group of nine IAS officers.

Then there is Patnaiks private secretary V Karthikeyan Pandian,who made a name for himself for his efficiency and honesty. His wife Sujata Karthikeyan,also of the same batch,is Director in the Women and Child Development Department.

Arabinda and Usha Padhee have been married for the last 14 years. Arabinda,a PhD in Entomology,fell in love with Usha during their IAS training period in Mussoorie. Arabinda is now an Additional Secretary in the Panchayati Raj Department while Usha is an Additional Secretary in the Water Resources Department. The first few years of their marriage were difficult as both were posted in different districts. Now they are together. We help each other in offering solutions. Since we know each others pressure,the understanding is much better, Arabinda says.

And of course,there are new joinees such as Satyajit Nayak,Sub-divisional Police Officer in Baliguda and his wife Guha Punam Tapas Kumar,Sub-collector of Koraput.

The list goes on.

What is it about Orissa that makes it a haven for officer couples? In Orissa,officers rule the roost more than any other state. With somebody like Patnaik at the helm,the power of bureaucracy has grown disproportionately as he is dependent on officers, said bureaucracy watcher Rabi Das.

Quips senior BJP leader Bijoy Mohapatra: 8220;The chief minister may be single,but he is heavily dependent on couples.8221;