Naveen Patnaik at the Metropolitan Club in New York City celebrating a book release

Indian political elites before the 90s certainly carried an aristocratic aura, as can be seen by this image. It is a far cry from how regional dynasts present themselves nowadays. Whether this is good or not is certainly a question that merits deeper discussion.

This persona of Patnaik is far from the one we are used to. It is also interesting to note that Patnaik is 38 in this image. Patnaik has had quite a varied career before joining politics, like running a fashion studio. This is evident from his immaculate style in this image.

Source caption

Naveen Patnaik (C) and guests attend an event, celebrating the publication of “A Princess Remembers: The Memoirs of the Maharani of Jaipur,” at the Metropolitan Club in New York City on December 3, 1985.