Bhubaneswar: The state on Tuesday paid tributes to Bansidhar Panda, one of the doyens of Odisha industry, who passed away at his residence here.

He was 87.

Panda, who had brought modern industries to the state, is survived by sons Baijayant and Subhrakanata, and daughters Paramita and Nita.

Baijayant Panda is the Lok Sabha member from Kendrapara.

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik, Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Jual Oram, Pradesh Congress Committee president Niranjan Patnaik and leaders from all parties and members of industrial houses expressed their condolence on his demise.

People went to the house to pay their respects to the son of the soil. Panda's mortal remains were cremated at his native Madhubana village near Baranga in Cuttack.

After his return from USA in 1960, Panda, a scientist, set up the Indian Metals & Ferro Alloys Ltd (IMFA) at Therubali in 1961 in the then undivided Koraput district when no one wanted to go to the tribal dominated area. Later, the IMFA turned out to be the pride of the state.

He had also served as a member board of governing body of IIT Khargpur, IIM Calcutta, Air India and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Sunabeda.

Panda had received degrees from Banaras Hindu University, Harvard University and Michigan Technological University.

He was also conferred honoris causa or a honorary degree by the National Institute of Technology NIT, Rourkela, in 2015.

Kalinga Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Biswadev Das said: "He was a path-breaker. It is a great loss for state as he was a 'Bhismapitamaha' of the state's industrial revolution."

He said Panda had inspired a number of young entrepreneurs to set up industries in the state.

Utkal Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Ramesh Mohapatra said: "Panda's death is a great loss to the industry."