Purna Chandra Hota, former Chairman, Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), breathed his last in a private hospital in Delhi on December 27 morning. Eldest son of Banchhanidhi Hota of Cuttack, he was born on September 9, 1938 and was educated in Ravenshaw College and University of Allahabad. He was placed among the top ten candidates in order of merit in IAS examination and joined the Odisha cadre in 1962. Hota served as Commissioner & Secretary to Govt. of Odisha in various key departments like Urban Development and Irrigation & Power. He served as Secretary, Ministry of Personnel and Secretary Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, Govt of India .He was Member Secretary of Dr Satish Chandra Committee to review the scheme of Civil Services Examination 1988 .He was appointed by Government of India as Chairman of the Committee on Civil Services Reforms and authored the landmark report on civil service reforms in India.