Odisha Loses It First Woman Lyricist Binodini Devi

Bhubaneswar: The first woman lyricist of Odia film industry, Binodini Devi, breathed her last in Odisha’s Angul on Monday morning. She was 86.

Binodini Devi was born on 1937 at Tigiria, Cuttack. She was an approved lyricist of Akashvani (All India Radio) and wrote songs for Akashvani, Doordarshan, movies and other broadcasting mediums.

She began her journey in Ollywood as a lyricist with the film ‘Malajanha’ released in 1965. She gained popularity with her songs in the movies ‘Tapoi’ (1978), ‘Sri Jagannath’ (1979), ‘Maha Sati Savitri’ (1983) and ‘Jay Jagannath’ (2007). “Her songs in simple language could express powerful sentiments. She created a niche for herself with these five movies. Every time ace composer Akshaya Mohanty and the maverick lyricist came together, they created magic,” said film historian Surya Deo.

Some of her popular songs include ‘Mu Tuma Bandhu Nuhen Bandhu’, ‘Aei Kala Mor Kalank’, ‘Nadi Ta Neichi Ta Apana Gaati’, ‘Eiye Jhiati Ghara Keunthi’, ‘Aa Khili Paana Bana Ku Jiba’, ‘Kaalia Asila’ and ‘Seta Bhakata Bhabare Bandha’.

Her songs were also published in book forms -‘Khokitie Khokitie’ (children’s song collection, 1986), ‘Amruta’ (devotional song collection, 1996), ‘Tiki Tiki Nali Kaincha’ (children’s poem collection, 1999) and ‘Aei Kala Mor Kalank’ (modern song collection, 2000).

Binodini Devi was the sister of renowned linguist Debi Prasanna Patnaik.