Akhil Mishra’s Maiden English Poetry Collection ‘The Painted Silence’ Released

Bhubaneswar: “Poetry is a mixture of everything including love, betrayal, sorrow, happiness, loneliness and materialistic life. Living with poetry is more important than writing it down,” said Akhil Kumar Mishra at the launching of his maiden poetry collection ‘The Painted Silence’ here on Sunday.

Releasing the book as chief guest, noted bilingual poet Bibhu Padhi said, “The first anthology of every poet normally has a lot of love poems. It is the same for Akhil’s ‘Painted Silence’. It is a good collection of love poems.”

The book was unveiled on the auspicious occasion of Rakhi Purnima at  ‘Pushtak Parva’ (book festival) organised by city-based publication house Timepass.

Attending as chief speaker, Sahitya Akademi award-winning translator and poet Sangram Jena said, “His loneliness lurks silently through his poems.”

Poet Pabitra Mohan Kar presided over the meeting while poet Saroj Bal, also the publisher, welcomed the esteemed guests. Several poets and literature lovers were present.

Poet Akhil Kumar Mishra has penned five poetry books in Odia and ‘The Painted Silence’ is his first collection of poetry in English.

Mishra joined Allied Services in 1999 after being allocated Indian Information Service, Grade-A.

He has served in News Services Division of All India Radio, Delhi, AIR/DD Kohima, Nagaland and headed news in AIR Cuttack and DD Kolkata.

He has also worked as Director of Odisha Film Censor Board, Director of Doordarshan News, Bhubaneswar and AlR News, Guwahati.

At present, he is continuing in Management Development Institute (MDI), Gurugram, NCR, Delhi.