Once upon a time when I visited a newspaper office along with an elderly person, one of the security guards at the gate asked, “Who is the old man with you?” I replied, “He is former MLA Padma Charana Nayak.”
The security guard did not believe in my words and countered me with another question, that is, he wanted to know if he was a former MLA, then how he came here with me in a two-wheeler as he could have easily afforded a car and a driver!Then I looked at him with a smiling face and said, “This is the difference between a normal MLA and the one who has followed the philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi throughout his life. Nayak is the living example of simplicity and humbleness!” I was extremely privileged to work with him.
I also got the opportunity to organise his 84th birth anniversary as an office bearer in the year 2009 in which the editor of ‘The Pioneer’ Chandan Mitra was chief guest. Padma Charan Nayak was born in a simple farmer’s house in Kendrapada district on January 30, 1926. In 1951, after completion of his Master degree in Chemistry, he wanted to do social work. Since that day he is in the service of mankind and motherland. Since then, for the past 70 years, he has been continuing with his social works.
Prior to that in 1942, when he was in 10th class, he participated in Quit India Movement and in 1952, he joined in August Andolana. By the time from 1961 to 1967 he was elected as the member of Legislative Assembly and from 1978 to 1979 he was the Chairman of Odisha State Kaju Corporation. From 1994 to 1999 he was the president of Utkal Sammilani, Bhubaneswar Branch. From 2000 till today he is the advisor of Utkal Sammilani and now he is the chairman of Milita Odisha Nisha Nibaran Abhijan (MONNA).
For the last 10 years he is working against liquor and his aim is to make Odisha completely drugs free. He is not only renowned for his social works, but also, he has a mighty pen through which he shares great wisdom! His writings have deep meanings and are extremely motivational. For his book “Anirbana” in 1996 he got the Odisha Shahitya Academy Award and for his Book “Chirabandaniya” I had the opportunity to become the publisher.
The book “Anirbana” is the life history of the then Chief Minister Naba Krushna Chaudhury. ‘Chirabandaniya’ book is the Odia translation of English Book “Madhusudan Das through Many eyes” written by the daughter of Utkalgaurab Madhusudan Das named Sailabala Das.If we study about his life style and his social works, today at the completion of 95 years of his age, the proverb ‘Fame is a food, which dead men eat’ would be completely proven wrong as throughout his lifetime Nayak gathered a lot of fame and has proven himself to be an idol for today’s society! We all wish for his good health and pray Lord Jagannath to give us all a chance to observe his 100th birth year celebration.
(Dashsharma is an ex-office-bearer of Padmacharana Nayak Abhinandan Samiti, Phone: 8984007600)
