DPIIT secretary Guruprasad Mohapatra dies of Covid-related complications

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani took to Twitter to express their condolences.

Gujarat cadre IAS officer and secretary in the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Guruprasad Mohapatra, passed away due to Covid-related complications on Saturday.

“Mohapatra was admitted to AIIMS on April 18 after he contracted the novel coronavirus. He was in the hospital for over one-and-a-half months and had recovered,” a senior official in Delhi said.

Prior to taking over as DPIIT secretary, Mohapatra had served as the chairman of Airports Authority of India. A 1986-batch IAS officer of Gujarat, Mohapatra was one of the officers who moved to Delhi after Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister.

“Saddened by the demise of Dr Guruprasad Mohapatra, DPIIT Secretary. I had worked with him extensively in Gujarat and at the Centre. He had a great understanding of administrative issues and was known for his innovative zeal. Condolences to his family and friends. Om Shanti,” PM Modi tweeted.

Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani also took to the microblogging site to express condolences and said the state has lost an able officer.

A native of Bhubaneswar in Odisha, he had a master’s degree in political science from the Jawaharlal Nehru University. His first big posting in Gujarat was as the Surat municipal commissioner between 1999 and 2002. He also held important positions, including managing director of Gujarat Alkalies and Chemicals Ltd in Vadodara, commissioner of commercial taxes department and the municipal commissioner of Ahmedabad.

His first assignment in Delhi was between 2014 and 2016 as the joint secretary of the department of commerce and industry.

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