Bhubaneswar, Dec. 30 -- 2020 was indeed a year of great loss. The COVID-19 pandemic not just paralysed the global economy but claimed many lives. Adding to the pandemic situation, Odisha suffered an irreparable loss with the demise several eminent personalities in different fields.

Here're some of the precious gems that Odisha waved its last goodbye to this year.

BJD strongman Pradeep Maharathy

What came as a huge loss for the ruling BJD was the demise of former Minister and seven-time MLA Pradeep Maharathy, who succumbed to COVID-19 at a hospital in Bhubaneswar during wee hours on October 4. He was 66.

Born on July 4, 1955 in Pipili of Puri district, the BD strongman had started his political carrier as a student leader in SCS Colleg...