The Kendra Sahitya Akademi organised a day-long seminar here on Sunday to mark birth centenary of eminent writer Bamacharan Mitra.
Inaugurating the seminar, noted poet Ramakant Rath said Mitra was a writer of amazing genre. His stories are so narrative that any reader, if starts reading, get engrossed soon and can’t stop himself from reading the whole book. Since Bamacharan’s stories have all the elements of story writing, they transcend time and are read by all the generation of readers, he added. Rath also discussed about some of the characters of Mitra’s stories.
The Sahitya Akademi’s Odia Advisory Board convener Dr Gourahari Das said Mitra was publicity shy and his stories have not been discussed to the extent as they should have been. He was a humanist, which is reflected in his writings, he added.
Prominent writer Ramachandra Behera chaired the inaugural session and said Mitra wrote a large number of stories focusing on the lives of the underprivileged people.
While Sahitya Akademi Programme Officer Mihir Kumar Sahoo delivered welcome address, Dr Bijayananda Singh gave vote of thanks in the inaugural session.
In the first session, Phanindra Bhusan Nanda discussed on ‘Kahanikar O Rachanakar Bamacharan’, Khirod Behera on ‘Samasamayika Kathakar O Bamacharan’ and Pabitra Panigrahi on ‘Bamacharannka Kathasailee O Bhashabhabana’. Prof Dasharathi Das chaired this session. Among others, Pitabasa Routray, Jatin
Nayak, Babaji Patnaik, Banchhanidhi Das, Bhagyalipi Malla and Premananda Mahapatra spoke.