(MENAFN- IANS) Bhubaneswar, Nov 27 (IANS) Former Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition in the Odisha Assembly, Naveen Patnaik, on Thursday said it was a matter of great pride for the people of Odisha that a daughter of the soil, who began her political career in the state Assembly, now holds the highest office in the country.

While speaking on the occasion of President Droupadi Murmu's address to the Odisha Legislative Assembly on Thursday, Patnaik said: "We are all proud that the daughter of this land is the President of the country. It is even more a matter of pride that she started her political career in this Odisha Legislative Assembly twenty-five years ago, and today she has increased the glory of this land by becoming the President of the country. Unity in diversity is the beauty of our nation."

He also noted that it was a great honour for Odisha and its people that the President of India, hailing from this state, addressed the Odisha Legislative Assembly on Thursday.

The LoP observed that the entire country looks to President Murmu for inspiration and guidance in preserving the very soul of India.

Highlighting Odisha's achievements across different fields in the recent past, Patnaik said: "As you are aware, Odisha has scripted history in myriad fields in the last couple of decades. In disaster management, food production, women's empowerment, poverty alleviation, infrastructure development, transformation in health and educational spheres and the creation of a climate of industrial growth, Odisha is indeed an inspiring story."

He credited the people of Odisha for their unstinting support and blessings that made "such phenomenal growth" possible.

The BJD president further added that Odisha's disaster management policy has become a role model for the entire country and that the State has also received international recognition for its good work in disaster management.

"Odisha, with its rich natural resources and skilled workforce, has great potential for growth. We should all strive to ensure Odisha scales new heights of glory," added the LoP.

Naveen Patnaik also highlighted Odisha's role in the accession of princely states, noting that Nilagiri was the first to join the Indian Union on November 14, 1947.

He said Odisha thus provided leadership to the rest of the country in uniting and consolidating Indian nationhood. Patnaik emphasised the role of Madhusudan Das in the formation of Odisha as a separate state on a linguistic basis, the first such instance in the country.

"He achieved this historic goal along with other national leaders by adopting constitutional methods. As the President of this great country, you 'preserve, protect and defend' the Constitution of India, the 75th anniversary of which was celebrated just recently. The entire country looks upon you, President Madam, for inspiration and guidance in preserving the very soul of India," Patnaik added.

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