A Son of the Soil

A steward of the state, CM Mohan Charan Majhi is steering Odisha through a wave of changes, anchored by his inclusive leadership

- SHEELA BHATT

Odisha is currently undergoing a profound transformation at its highest echelons. The palpable sense of renewal in its political landscape finds its origin point in Mohan Charan Majhi, the state's first Santhal Chief Minister.

Majhi was born in the unassuming Raikala village of Keonjhar. His father, Gunaram, was a government school peon — a far cry from the corridors of power the CM now walks. Yet it is this very distance that makes Majhi's political arc so compelling. Grounded in “common” realities, he understands the fault lines and forgotten corners of his state.