FICCI and it's members deeply saddened at the sudden demise of Dr Guruprasad Mohapatra, Secretary, DPIIT

Jun 19, 2021

NEW DELHI, 19 June 2021: FICCI and its members are extremely saddened with the demise of Dr Guruprasad Mohapatra, Secretary DPIIT. As one of the senior most Secretary to Government of India, Dr Mohapatra was leading some of the flagship initiatives of the government like Atmanirbhar Bharat, Make In India, Startup India, Ease of Doing Business, Public Procurement and many more. He not only took these initiatives to the next level but also provided new dimensions to them, which helped the country to be positioned as a favourable investment destination. Under his leadership, India witnessed a dramatic rise in its ranking in the World Bank's Ease of Doing Business. More recently, he headed the Empowered Group on Oxygen and worked towards increasing production, streamlining supply and prioritising usage of oxygen during the second wave of COVID. He has left a legacy which FICCI will take forward with the support of DPIIT and other Government departments to fulfil the targets as laid out by Dr Mohapatra.

Mr Uday Shankar, President, FICCI said, "We at FICCI are deeply saddened by the sudden demise of Dr Guruprasad Mohapatra, secretary, DPIIT. Dr Mohapatra was known for his administrative acumen and his innovative methods of working will always be remembered by us. Having worked extensively with him on a host of issues, we will always remember and miss his guidance. Personally, having known Dr Mohapatra and being friends with him as fellow students for over four decades since university days, I have lost a friend very close to me. I will always remember him as one of the finest human being with a golden heart. We convey our deepest condolences and sympathies to his family and friends."

Mr Dilip Chenoy, Secretary General, FICCI said, "Dr Mohapatra led many initiatives, like ease of doing business, start-up India and he was the head of the group that was working on enabling the availability of oxygen to the patients and hospitals across the country during COVID. I have worked extensively with him on a host of issues. We will always remember him and miss his guidance. Personally, I have known him for many years, and I lost a friend, a true guide and mentor. We will always remember him as one of the finest human being, always working to find a solution and find ways to get the country and the industry to progress. We will miss him."

FICCI remains committed to the cause of making India a favourable investment and manufacturing destination as envisioned by Dr Mohapatra, who diligently served for India. He was multi-faceted, having deep knowledge and experience of India's administration, public policy and governance.