Kanhu Charan Lenka | |
|---|---|
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| Member of Parliament,Rajya Sabha | |
| In office 1988–1994 | |
| Constituency | Odisha |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1939-03-02)2 March 1939 |
| Died | 13 February 2026(2026-02-13) (aged 86) Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India |
| Party | Indian National Congress |
| Spouse | Bijaya Laxmi Lenka |
| Children | Satyabrata Lenka, Subrat lenka |
Kanhu Charan Lenka (2 March 1939 – 13 February 2026), also speltKanu, was an Indian politician and a senior Odia political figure of theOdisha Congress( the provincial party unit of the Indian National Congress).[1][2][3] He was twice elected to theRajya Sabha, upper house of theParliament of India fromOdisha. He also served as an elected member of the Odisha Legislative Assembly for four terms (1971,1974, 1980 and 1995).
He started his career in politics during his student years at Ravenshaw College, Cuttack and later on took keen interest in youth organisations, social workers associations and labour unions likeINTUC andHind Mazdoor Sabha.[4][5]
Lenka was Minister for State for Railways and Union Minister of State for Agriculture under theNarasimha Rao. He was earlier elected to theOdisha Legislative Assembly and an Odisha state minister. He was a loyalist of Indira Gandhi and stood by her during the split in theIndian National Congress and subsequently won from the requisitionist faction of theCongress on the Cow and calf symbol.[6][7][8]
During his stint in Rajya Sabha, Lenka was member of the electoral college for the presidential elections held in India during 1992.[9]
Lenka died at private hospital inBhubaneswar, on 13 February 2026, at the age of 86.[10]