Bhubaneswar: Odisha Sports Journalists Association (OSJA) observed the 22nd death anniversary of eminent sports journalist Dr Ashok Pattnaik at a meeting in Odisha capital on Thursday.
Dr Pattnaik, who worked for leading Odia dailies, Sambad, Dharitri and Samaya, was paid homage not only as a highly knowledgeable sports scribe, but also as an humble, kind-hearted and helpful human.
Gracing the meeting at Saheed Sporting Club Ground as the chief guest, Olympian and former women’s 100m hurdles national record-holder Anuradha Biswal lauded the contribution of Dr Pattnaik to sports journalism and bringing sports journalists of Odisha under one umbrella.
Attending the meeting for the first time, Dr Pattnaik’s son Anupam thanked OSJA for organising the event every year in the memory of his father. “I am overwhelmed for the love, affection and respect the OSJA has for my father,” said Anupam, who works at Tata Consultancy Services (TCS).
OSJA president Sandeep Mishra presided the meeting, which was coordinated by vice-president of Sports Journalists Federation of India (SJFI) Sambit Mohapatra.
OSJA’s working-president K Ravi, vice-presidents Himanshu Patimishra and Samikhya Patnaik; secretary Debi Prasanna Mohanty, joint-secretaries Suresh Swain and Tapan Swain, treasurer Debasis Sundaray, executive members Sanatan Pani, Dipti Ranjan Samal and members Rajanikanta Satrusalya, Sarbeswar Mohanty, Shakti Prakash Nanda, Bimal Kumar Raul, Ranjan Kumar Ray, Debi Prasanna Panigrahi, Mahendra Sahoo, Chakradhar Majhi, Tushar Senapati paid floral tributes to Dr Pattnaik.
The first and complete souvenir of OSJA was released on the occasion. The cover of the souvenir, which features articles on sports achievements of Odisha, sports journalism in the State and activities of OSJA, had been unveiled on the occasion of World Sports Journalists Day on July 2.
