Why 'Cyclone Man' VK Pandian Visited Venezuela After Twin Earthquakes

VK Pandian - ex-Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's aide, and the architect of the state's cyclone response and disaster management protocols - said he visited earthquake-hit Venezuela this week and met interim President Delcy Rodriguez.

"Visited earthquake-affected areas of Venezuela and met people and teams involved in rescue and recovery operations. Heartily appreciate each one of them standing with people in this terrible, challenging time," he said on social media. "Later met President Delcy Rodriguez and shared Odisha and India'slearning on rescue, recovery, and rehabilitation."

He said the discussions also covered immediate and long-term responses for disaster mitigation.

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

Pandian's credentials as a disaster management expert stem from his stewardship of cyclone-prone Odisha over the past 13 years. The 52-year-old assumed that role in 2013 as Patnaik's private secretary and played a key part in coordinating the state's globally recognised "zero casualty" disaster management strategy for cyclones that frequently strike the Odisha coast.

His approach - combining scientific early warning systems with community mobilisation and decentralised decision-making - has become a global benchmark in disaster management.

A key component of that strategy is sustained investment in disaster-resilient infrastructure. In Venezuela's case, that could include earthquake-resistant buildings, similar to those used in Japan, as well as shelters for evacuees during disasters.

Meanwhile, last month former bureaucrat Sujata Rout Karthikeyan, Pandian's wife, followed in his footsteps and joined the Biju Janata Dal. Pandian had joined the party in November 2023 ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. However, after the BJD suffered a heavy defeat to the Bharatiya Janata Party, he announced he was quitting politics.

A 2000-batch IAS officer, like her husband, Sujata Karthikeyan is credited with expanding Mission Shakti, the BJD's flagship women's empowerment programme. "I have availed opportunities to serve the people of Odisha for 24 years under the leadership of Naveen Patnaik. Today, I got the same opportunity again to serve the people of Odisha under his leadership."