Puri Gajapati Maharaj Dibyasingha Deb on Friday tested positive for Covid-19, a day ahead of President Ram Nath Kovind’s visit to the town.
As per the schedule, Gajapati, who is the Chairman of the Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee, was to welcome the President at the Lion’s Gate of the temple. But he will miss this and all the other programmes of the President.
Since all the programmes the President will attend during his 2-day visit to the pilgrim town are being observed with strict adherence to Covid-19 guidelines, Gajapati’s sample was earlier collected for RT-PCR test and his report came out to be positive for the infection.
In a press note issued by the office of Sri Gajapati Maharaja, it is stated that the Gajapati is asymptomatic and not experiencing any health related issues. He will quarantine himself for seven days, it stated.
Notably, President Ram Nath Kovind is on a two-day visit to Puri, starting Saturday. On his first day of the visit, he will pay obeisance to the holy Trinity at the Srimandir and on the next day, he will attend a programme commemorating the 150th birth anniversary of Srimad Bhaktisidhanta Saraswati Goswami Maharaj.
Notably, the Puri King’s youngest daughter Debeshi Devi’s wedding was held on February 9. She tied the nuptial knot with Aditya Kehr, son of Gurugram-based Rajeev Kehr who is also the prince of the Vardhman Royal family.