Berhampur: Eminent Odia writer Haraprasad Das was conferred with the prestigious Kabi Samrat Upendra Bhanja National Award for his outstanding contribution to literature.
The award, instituted by Berhampur University, was presented to Das during its 58th Foundation Day celebration held at Biju Patnaik Auditorium on Tuesday. He received the citation and a cheque of Rs one lakh as the prize money.
Berhampur University was established fifty-eight years ago on January 2, 1967 with only 11 colleges with a total strength of 4586 students and its campus was named as ‘Bhanja Bihar’ to perpetuate the memory of Kabi Samrat Upendra Bhanja, one of the most eminent poets of medieval Odisha.
77-year-old Haraprasad Das is a name to be reckoned with in contemporary Odia literature. His poems depict the philosophy of life in different hues and are full of unusual images and metaphors created in his own style. He is credited with a dozen poetry collections and a number of books of essays. His epic poems from ‘Alokita Banabasa’ from 1978 to ‘Tha Pruthwi jala hoi megha hoi tha’ are unique works of poetry which receive huge critical appreciation.
He bagged many awards including Kendra Sahitya Academy award in 1999, Sarala Award and Gangadhar National Award for Poetry in 2008, Bishuba Purashkar, Bharatiya Bhasa Parishad Puraskar, Moorti devi Award in 2013 and Kalinga Literary Award in 2017.
He had also acquired a very good reputation as a tough and knowledgeable officer in IAAS cadre and occupied many key positions in government of India. He had served as Principal Accountant General in states like Odisha and Bihar.
Speaking on the occasion, Das said getting the coveted award is a very big achievement for him. Introspecting the present education system and the text books in India, he urged for a futuristic scholarly planning. “We are now at the cross-roads. We have to redesign our textbooks and educational system. Kabi Samrat Upendra Bhanja had crossed the limit of the ‘sea of words. We live in tradition and modernity. We think and feel. We must not live in the present, but in the past. The Vedas teaches us the lessons which we don’t find anywhere in the world,” he said.
Berhampur University also awarded ‘Dakhina Odisha Loka Sanskruti Samman’ to two folk theatre artists – 107-year-old ‘Krushna Lila’ artist Gopinath Swain and ‘Gahana’ singer Abhimanyu Rout.
Distinguished alumna award was presented to Odissi dance Guru Sikata Das, Chief Executive Guru Kelucharan Mahapatra Odissi Research Centre, Bhubaneswar, who was a student of MSc Zoology in Berhampur University during 1980-83 and angavastra to Kamakhi Prasad Das of Govt College Koraput and Bipin Mahapatra a renowned lyricist and dramatist.
Vice Chancellor Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Prof Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit, who is also a Bharatnatyam dancer, addressed the gathering.
Vice Chancellor of Berhampur University Prof Geetanjali Dash in her speech depicted how the university surges ahead with a holistic mission and vision to deliver the best.
Students who excelled in different departments were awarded gold medals. Monthly newsletter ‘Bhanja Bani’ was inaugurated during the celebration.
