Tathagata Satpathy was a member of the 12th, 14th, 15th and 16th Lok sabha of India. He represented the Dhenkanal constituency of Odisha, and was re-elected for the fourth time in 2014. He was a member of the Biju Janata Dal political party and the party’s chief whip in the Lok Sabha. He took voluntary retirement from politics in March 2019. Satpathy is the owner and editor of the daily Odia newspaper, *Dharitri*, and the English daily, *Orissa Post*. His contributions to journalism and politics have been significant, reflecting his multifaceted approach to public service.

He entered politics in the mid-70s, opposing the Emergency imposed by the Indian National Congress. Despite his family's Congress affiliation, Satpathy aligned with the Janata Party in the late 1980s under Sri Biju Patnaik's leadership.

Satpathy successfully contested and won the Dhenkanal-Angul Lok Sabha seat in the general elections of 1998, 2004, 2009, and 2014, serving as a Member of Parliament for four terms. He was a member of the BJD political party and served as the party's chief whip in the Lok Sabha.

In 2009, Satpathy was appointed as a member of the Standing Committee on Energy and the Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Power. He has been an advocate for energy conservation and has worked towards promoting sustainable energy practices in India.

Satpathy made history in March 2015 by conducting India's first official "Ask Me Anything" session.

Tathagata Satpathy voluntarily retired from active politics in March 2019, marking the end of his tenure as a Member of Parliament.