Sambalpur, Feb 17: Amid a wave of shock and agony, ace Gynaecologist and former Odisha MLA Rasheswari Panigrahi was consigned to rest at her cradle land at Sambalpur on Tuesday.

She was laid to the pyre at the Rajghat crematorium in the Sambalpur Town in the afternoon.

Panigrahi’s body was taken out in a procession in a flower-decked cortege that passed across the town, for mass tribute. It was later taken to the IMA building at the hospital while the doctors offered tributes to the ace doctor.

Among locals several senior officials, including the District Collector, Police IG, SP, along with politicians, doctors, academicians, residents, and students of Panigrahi from across Western Odisha, joined the funeral procession.

The distinguished gynaecologist-turned-politician passed away at the age of 79 on Monday due to Motor Neuron Disease (MND).

Raseswari Panigrahi, represented Sambalpur Assembly constituency in 2014 from BJD.

Before entering politics, she had a distinguished career in medicine. She had completed her MBBS from Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR) in Burla and had joined government service in 1972 as a Gynaecology Specialist. She had begun her medical career at the District Headquarters Hospital (DHH) in Sundargarh. Later on, she was elevated to the post of Professor following which she joined active politics, with the inspiration of Naveen Patnaik.

Since 2024, Dr. Panigrahi was rendering free medical support to the needy and have-nots, providing essential O&G cares to mothers and women, remaining away from politics.