
Odisha tribal leader George Tirkey passes away at 67
What's the story
George Tirkey, a prominent trade union leader and former Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) of Odisha, passed away early on Saturday. He was 67. Tirkey had been undergoing treatment at a hospital for the past three months due to multiple health complications, and he succumbed around 1am. His last rites will be held in his ancestral village, Jhunmur, in Sundergarh district.
Political career
Tirkey elected from Biramitrapur assembly segment 4 times
Tirkey was a well-known tribal leader who represented the Biramitrapur assembly segment in Sundergarh district four times. He was elected in 1995, 2000, 2009, and 2014. His political journey saw him winning two elections on a Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) ticket, one as an Independent candidate, and another on a Samata Kranti Dal ticket, an outfit he had founded himself.
Tributes
Naveen Patnaik pays tribute
Former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expressed his grief over Tirkey's death. In a post on X, he wrote, "I am deeply saddened to know about the demise of senior politician and former MLA of Sundergarh's Biramitrapur, George Tirkey." He added that Tirkey's "lifelong contribution to public service is unparalleled." Deputy Chief Minister K V Singh Deo also paid tribute to the late leader.
Twitter Post
Patnaik's post on X
ବରିଷ୍ଠ ରାଜନେତା ତଥା ସୁନ୍ଦରଗଡ଼ ବୀରମିତ୍ରପୁରର ପୂର୍ବତନ ବିଧାୟକ ଜର୍ଜ ତିର୍କୀଙ୍କ ଦେହାନ୍ତ ବିଷୟରେ ଜାଣି ମୁଁ ଗଭୀର ଦୁଃଖିତ। ଜନସେବା କ୍ଷେତ୍ରରେ ତାଙ୍କର ଜୀବନବ୍ୟାପୀ ଅବଦାନ ଅତୁଳନୀୟ। ଲୋକଙ୍କ କଲ୍ୟାଣ ପାଇଁ ତାଙ୍କର କାର୍ଯ୍ୟ ସବୁବେଳେ ସ୍ମରଣୀୟ ରହିବ। ତାଙ୍କ ଅମର ଆତ୍ମାର ସଦଗତି କାମନା କରିବା ସହ ଶୋକସନ୍ତପ୍ତ ପରିବାର ସଦସ୍ୟଙ୍କ…
— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) September 20, 2025
Condolences
Congress leader Das expresses grief
Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Bhakta Charan Das also expressed his condolences over Tirkey's demise. He said, "I am saddened by the death of George Tirkey and pray to the Almighty for peace to his soul." Tirkey's son, Rohit Joseph Tirkey, has also followed in his father's footsteps and was elected from the Biramitrapur assembly segment in 2024 on a Biju Janata Dal (BJD) ticket.