Work is the Best Pain Killer, Mr Pandian

Reminiscence by V K Pandian

A few words recalling an experience with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik from the man who knows him very closely. V K Pandian, P S to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Secretary 5T Initiatives, shares an experience that he cherishes the most.

Inspiration @ Naveen Patnaik
Toothaches are perhaps among the most painful aches and then they have the tendency to come unannounced. A couple of years ago, one morning around 9am, I got a call from Naveen Niwas saying that CM had a toothache and would like to visit Capital Hospital for Root Canal Treatment (RCT). I tied up everything and he was to be there at 10.30am. Given that Sir likes to maximise his work, the day’s calendar was chockablock as usual. As per the prefixed programme there was a review meeting at 11.30am in the CM Conference Hall, which I planned to postpone as also the evening appointments.

I reached office and began changing the prefixed schedule, telling myself that one would certainly need at least a day’s rest after an RCT. I did recall with a smile how I had bunked college for two days after RCT? Just then, my happy reverie was broken by a message: CM finished the RCT and left Capital Hospital for the Secretariat! (Lokseva Bhawan now!).
I was shocked, how can one attend office directly from the dentist’s chair?! I swiftly recalled my pain and the swollen mouth after the RCT when I was just 20 ……Still in a daze of shock and awe I got a call from CM Sir telling me that we were to go ahead with the meeting at 11.30 as per the day’s schedule.

I then reorganised the postponed meeting and CM Sir as usual took the review meeting for more than an hour…

After the meeting I asked him, “Sir, you could have rested this morning, especially after RCT and the toothache.”

He said simply, “I can bear the pain so why waste time. There may be someone whose pain is much more serious and requires this time of ours.”

“Work is the best pain killer, Mr Pandian,” he said, and laughed.
All of us were silenced by this novel painkiller, meanwhile CM walked away with his characteristic smile.

V Karthikeya Pandian IAS
Ps to CM Odisha
16th Oct 2020