The Odisha capital, whose foundation was laid by first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on this day in 1948, turned 73 on Tuesday. The city, which has seen tremendous development over the past few decades, was ranked second in the Centre’s Ease of Living Index 2020 with a population of less than a million.
A number of functions were held here on Tuesday to mark its 73rd anniversary amidst Covid restrictions.
Recalling Bhubaneswar’s journey, Pradosh Patnaik, senior journalist and brother of economist Prabhat Patnaik, said: “The foundation of the city was laid on April 13, 1948, by first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Bhubaneswar was designed by German town planning engineer Otto H. Koenigsberger in 1946. In the course of its journey through 73 years, the city has witnessed unprecedented development.”