Bureaucrat, social worker, and administrator acknowledged for his simplicity and administration, and for taking initiative in the Indravati project. He was the first IAS from Kalahandi. Prafulla Ratha: Awarded a natyarashmi for his contribution to Oriya drama. Kishan Patnaik: Socialist leader. He was born in 1930 into a lower-middle-class family in Kalahandi. Mr Patnaik worked in the youth wing of Samajwadi Yuvjan Sabha and soon rose to become its National president. He was elected to Lok Sabha from Sambalpur at the age of 32 and was one of handful members who turned the Lok Sabha into a real forum to discuss matters of national importance. He was perhaps the first person to bring the issue of starvation death in Kalahandi to the Indian parliament. Mr. Patnaik never lost sight of this fundamental plight of rural India, and securing the right to livelihood for the people on the margin therefore always remained central to his politics and to his vision of development. Power and transmission There is a 132/33 kV Grid Station near OMFED diary on SH-16. Power to this grid comes directly from Therubali Grid. Power transmission and maintenance are done by Grid Corporation of Odisha. There is also a sub-station in Naktiguda, Bhawanipatna. It is maintained by Western Electricity Supply Company of Odisha References External links Official website of Kalahandi Map of Kalahandi Cities and towns in Kalahandi district