The Kendra Sahitya Akademi organised three programmes consecutively here at the Panthanivas on Saturday and Sunday. The series began with the programme ‘Kathasandhi’. Eminent Odia fiction writer Bibhuti Pattanaik was the guest. He read out two stories i.e., ‘Samantara Saralarekha’ and ‘Baidasara Balada’ on the occasion and explained the story behind writing these stories.
‘At the time of writing a story, I always think that the story is the best but after publication, I thought it could have been better,’ said Pattanaik. Convener, Odia Advisory Board of the Akademi, Gourahari Das introduced the guest and Banoj Tripathy gave welcome address. The Sahitya Akademi in association with Itikili Mitikili organised a programme on children’s literature. As speaker, Sanghamitra Mishra presented a paper on ‘the role of folk tale and folk song in children literature’ and Sarat Kumar Biswal discussed a topic, entitled ‘education and children literature’.
Eminent writer Santanu Kumar Acharya attended the session as the chief guest and said, ‘Children’s mind is flexible and we should stretch it. What we will teach them, they will accept. Through literature their mind can be broadened.’ literature is nothing but vision that expands child’s horizon, he added. Gourahari Das gave welcome address and Das Benhur chaired the session. In the second session, Iti Samanta discussed ‘Pilanka Pain Patrika ra Dunia’. He explained the need of the children’s magazine and responsibility of the parents and publishers.
In the same session, Sarat Kumar Nayak explained on the problems of publishing a children book and Manas Ranjan Samal discussed on media and children literature. Maheswar Mohanty chaired the session and Banoj Tripathy gave vote of thanks. The series concluded with the programme ‘People and Books’. Eminent film maker Sabyasachi Mohapatra spoke on books that played a vital role in his life. ‘My father was a school teacher and he used to read a lot. He inspired me in my childhood,’ said Sabyasachi.
He said the writings of Fakira Mohan Senapati, Gopinath Mohanty and Pranabandhu Kar motivated me in school days. Stories of Manguli Charan Biswal and my father Kapileswar Prasad Mohapatra also inspired me, he added. Sabyasachi told about his choice of writers and their writings on the occasion. His film Aadim Vichar was also screened on the occasion.