Subhas Chandra Pattanayak
The 75th year in Barendra Krushna Dhal’s life was welcomed in a unique way. His wife Snehalata Dhal, and other members of the family including Tirthankar, Sanghmitra, Amitabh, Lopa, Siddharth, Priti and Vivekanand Jena surprised the eminent journalist, author and founder of book-fare movement with a very insightful book on him which Orissa’s former Chief Minister Janaki Ballav Patnaik, who has returned home after completion of his term as Governor of Assam, inaugurated in the jam-packed hall of the Institute of Engineers, Bhubaneswar on January 4 in the evening. As many as 62 eminent persons have put their views on Dhal in this book, captioned ‘Ananya Barendra.
President of Orissa Sahitya Academy and his closest colleague in Book-fare movement Satakadi Hota graced the event as Guest of Honor and senior journalist Pradosh Pattanayak conducted the proceeding. As token of appreciation from the audience, strong admirers of Dhal including Dash Benhur spoke of their personal experience with him.
Answering the surprise felicitation, which his family had kept a secret till the last moment, Dhal went over his journey into journalism and his involvement with Lekhaka Samukhya that ultimately generated the book-fare movement in Orissa.
“Till end of my life I will continue writing”, he said; but instantly added, “I shall live to write”.
Chief Guest Mr. Patnaik gave a very affectionate note on Mr. Dhal the audio of which we post here in its entirety.