VK Pandian Visits Venezuela, Shares Odisha's Disaster Management Expertise

VK Pandian, a former aide to ex-Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and a key figure in the state’s disaster management strategy, visited earthquake-hit Venezuela this week to share India’s experience in rescue, recovery and rehabilitation. During the visit, he met interim President Delcy Rodriguez and travelled to areas affected by the devastating twin earthquakes.

Pandian said he interacted with residents and teams involved in rescue and recovery operations and praised those working under difficult conditions. He later held discussions with Rodriguez and shared lessons from Odisha and India on disaster response. According to Pandian, the talks covered immediate rescue efforts as well as long-term strategies for recovery, rehabilitation and disaster mitigation.

The visit comes as Venezuela continues to recover from two powerful earthquakes that struck the country on June 24. According to a Venezuelan government report published on Thursday, the death toll has risen to at least 3,889. Nearly 17,000 people were injured in the magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes, while almost 18,000 others were left homeless.

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Pandian’s experience in disaster management is linked to his work in cyclone-prone Odisha over the past 13 years. The 52-year-old took on a key administrative role in 2013 as Patnaik’s private secretary and helped coordinate the state’s widely recognised approach to reducing casualties during severe cyclones that frequently affect the Odisha coast.

Odisha’s disaster response strategy combines scientific early-warning systems, community mobilisation and decentralised decision-making. Sustained investment in disaster-resilient infrastructure has also been an important part of the approach. Similar measures in earthquake-prone regions could include stronger building standards, earthquake-resistant structures and shelters for people displaced during major disasters.

Pandian joined the Biju Janata Dal in November 2023 ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha and Odisha Assembly elections but announced his exit from politics after the party’s defeat to the Bharatiya Janata Party. His wife, former IAS officer Sujata Rout Karthikeyan, joined the BJD last month after a long administrative career in Odisha, where she was associated with the expansion of the Mission Shakti women’s empowerment programme.

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