Sasmit Patra

Sasmit Patra is an Indian politician, academician, and lawyer, currently serving as a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha, representing Odisha. Known for his articulate speeches and active participation in parliamentary debates.
He is currently national Spokesperson of Biju Janata Dal and also holds the position of the Chief Whip of the party in the upper house. He was renominated to the Rajya Sabha by Biju Janata Dal for a second term in May 2022.

Early life and education

Sasmit Patra was born to Dr. Swarupananda Patra and Rashmi Mohapatra. His father was the president of the Odisha Minority Forum. Patra belongs to a Christian family.
Dr. Patra pursued his education at Utkal University, Bhubaneswar, and Allahabad Agricultural Institute, Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh.
His academic qualifications include:

Dr. Patra married Sweta Millicent Paul, an academician by profession, on 6 February 2004. The couple resides in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.

Professional career

Before entering politics, Dr. Patra had a diverse professional career spanning academia, public policy, governance, and law:

Worked on a UNDP-Government of Odisha development project.
Held teaching roles in organizational behavior and human resource management.
Practiced law on a pro bono basis.
Contributed to public policy development through his work with the Odisha government.
Distinguished professor, Management Development Institute, Gurgaon

He has an extensive academic background and has served as the Dean of Xavier-Emlyon Business School, a joint collaboration between Xavier University, Bhubaneswar and Emlyon Business School, France.

Political career

Dr. Patra has wide-ranging experience of working across all four pillars of democracy – legislature, executive, judiciary and media.
His key roles include:

Member of Parliament
Member of Vice-Chairmen Panel of Rajya Sabha
Member, Parliamentary Departmental Standing Committee on Human Resource Development which covers the Ministry of HRD, Women and Child Development, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and Sports and Youth Affairs
Member, Parliamentary Joint Committee on Office of Profit, Privileges, General Purposes, and Ethics
National Spokesperson and Media Coordinator, Biju Janata Dal
Secretary and Member of State Council of Biju Janata Dal as well as Member of the BJD’s IT Wing Core Committee.

As of January 2024, according to the official records of the Rajya Sabha, Dr. Patra has asked 436 questions, introduced 16 Private Members' Bills, and participated in 1,388 debates in the Rajya Sabha, with an overall attendance of 92%, including 100% attendance in 10 out of 14 sessions since July 2019.

Controversies

In April 2025, Dr. Patra faced criticism within his party for creating confusion over voting on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024|Waqf (Amendment) Bill] in the Rajya Sabha. Despite the BJD's decision to oppose the bill, Patra publicly stated that MPs could vote according to their conscience, leading to internal discord among party members.
Several senior leaders demanded disciplinary action against him for allegedly contradicting party directives and causing damage to its image among minority communities.