Bhubaneswar: Rupali Sahu, 10, a Class V student of Bijipur Upper Primary School in Nayagarh district, who stood first in the state-level debate competition, said she wanted to be a pilot like Biju babu.

On Tuesday, she received a trophy from the state government for her eloquent speech on the life of Biju babu. The state-level debate competition was organised by the information and public relations department to commemorate the 21st death anniversary of Biju Patnaik.

Rupali said: "I want to be a pilot like Biju babu and repeat his daredevil acts like rescuing the Indonesian leader."

On the direction of Jawaharlal Nehru, Biju babu had flown to Jakarta and brought the Indonesian leader safely to India in 1948.

Rupali said: "I want to be daring like Biju, the tall man and Naveen Patnaik. Naveen's honesty and simplicity have inspired me a lot."

However, she said: "I would have been more happy had I got the award from him directly."

She clapped at every word of Naveen while the later was delivering his speech at the function at Jayadev Bhavan to commemorate Biju's death anniversary.

Naveen said: "Biju babu had created history. He had given a new direction to the people. For this, he turned into an itihas purush and vikash purush."

Earlier, he visited Puri to pay floral tributes at the Biju Patnaik memorial in Swargadwar.

On this occasion, the department had also organised a photo exhibition on Biju babu at Jayadev Bhavan.