On the occasion of the ‘National Daughters’ Day (Nandini Divas), the 7th Smt Nandini Satpathy Memorial lecture was delivered by Rajasthan Governor Margaret Alva at a function here on Sunday.
Alva said, “Nandini Satpathy was more than just her parents’ daughter. She was a great daughter of Odisha, indeed of India. left of the centre in her ideological moorings, she was among those Congress persons who had a vision and a strategy for the inclusive economic growth of India. Nandiniji spoke out against regional imbalances in economic development and the neglect of tribal areas, as much as she lent her voice to the quest for gender equity and land reforms.”
Chairman of Smt Nandini Satpathy Memorial Trust (SNSMT) Suparno Satpathy said, “If in the 70s we would have followed the path envisaged by late Nandini Satpathy in its right spirit then today Odisha would not have had to stand in front of the Central Government with a begging bowl, I mean asking for a Special Category State status. Rather by this time, Odisha would have been in a position to take care not only of itself but other under privileged States of India.”
Satpathy added, “When Nandini Ji was alive, she was a terror for the people who disregarded the interests of Odisha, and I am glad that even after she has left us in body her terror still continues to haunt the ones who for their vested interests disregard the cause of Odias and Odisha.”
Dr Rajendra Satpathy attended the event as guest of honour. The SNSMT presented the Nandini Puraskar-2013 to entrepreneur and activist Jaggi Mangat Panda and social activist Nayana Patra.