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Name: Pratap Chandra Sarangi
Pratap Chandra Sarangi was the Minister of State in the Government of India for Animal Husbandry, Dairying, and Fisheries and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. He is a politician from Balasore, Odisha, and serves as a National Executive Member of the Bharatiya Janata Party. He won from the Odisha Legislative Assembly two times from 2004 to 2009 and from 2009 to 2014 both times from Nilagiri constituency. He revolutionized primary education in rural areas through innovative concept of community funded Ekal Vidyalaya or single-teacher schools.
Sarangi's political journey began with his service as a district-level volunteer at Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. He also worked for the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal. He opened schools for the poor called Samar Kara Kendra under the Gana Shiksha Mandir Yojana in tribal villages in Balasore. His political career took a significant turn when he won the Odisha Legislative Assembly elections twice, from 2004 to 2009 and 2009 to 2014, both from the Nilagiri constituency. Despite losing the 2014 Indian general election from Balasore, Lok Sabha constituency as a BJP candidate, he did not lose hope. He contested again in the 2019 Indian general election from Balasore, Lok Sabha constituency, as a BJP candidate and won.