Jayanti Patnaik


Jayanti Patnaik M.A. is an Indian Parliamentarian and renowned social worker.
She was the first Chairperson of the National Commission for Women. Her term of office was from 3 February 1992 to 30 January 1995.

Early life and education

She was born in 1932 at Aska, Ganjam district of Orissa. Her father is Niranjan Patnaik. She was educated at Harihar High School, Aska. She has studied Master of Arts in Social Work from Sailabala Women's College under Utkal University, Cuttack. She pursued advanced studied in Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai.
She married politician Janaki Ballabh Patnaik in 1953, who later remained Chief Minister of Odisha, and the couple had one son and two daughters.