On the auspicious occasion of its Foundation Day, ‘Pragativadi’ transformed its office premises into a vibrant hub of ideas, urging writers to become the conscience of society.
A day-long literary meet and grand felicitation ceremony underscored a powerful message: literature must unflinchingly reflect the ground realities of our times – be it the heart-wrenching Dana Majhi incident of Kalahandi or the disturbing Jitu Munda case of Kendujhar.
Presided over by noted Gandhian thinker Krishna Mohanty, the event saw eminent poet, fiction writer and legislator Dr. Arun Kumar Sahu as Chief Guest and distinguished storyteller Dr. Arabinda Ray as Guest of Honour. Speakers minced no words in criticising systemic failures while celebrating literature’s role as a mirror to social injustice.
Dr. Ray, in a hard-hitting address, spotlighted the recent Kendujhar incident involving Jitu Munda, describing him as a tragic symbol of societal neglect. “Today Jitu Munda has become the most discussed person – an uneducated, unaware individual living far from humanity,” he remarked. “How many more Jitu Mundas are living among us? What has society done for them? Why couldn’t we make them aware of their rights and responsibilities? Until society fulfils its duty, every creator – in literature or politics – stands failed.”
Dr. Arun Kumar Sahoo echoed the sentiment, linking the discussion to the Women’s Reservation Bill and the broader issue of gerrymandering. He warned that educated citizens must engage deeply with such issues or risk denying justice to the marginalised. “If we remain reactionless machines, our protest power will die. When human essence vanishes, we become indistinguishable from machines,” he cautioned, lamenting the current generation’s disconnect from history, heritage and tradition.
The celebrations also honoured literary excellence across genres. Due to ill health, veteran novelist Dr Bibhuti Pattnaik could not attend; his ‘Pragativadi’ Literary Award was presented at his residence the previous day (April 30).
During the event, the following honours were conferred:
- Pragativadi Essay Award: Dr Basanti Mohanty and Antarjita Nayak
- Pragativadi Story Award: Sibasundar Panigrahi
- Pragativadi Poetry Award: Chitra Kanungo (received later by Pragativadi Chairperson Saswati Bal)
- Pragativadi Children’s Literature Award: Ramesh Chandra Das
- Special Award: Dr Sanghamitra Mishra for her popular children’s column ‘Mitu Aai ra Chithi’
In a glittering ceremony, several distinguished personalities were also felicitated for their contributions, including Padma Shri Debi Prasanna Pattanayak, Dr. Bhagabat Shukla, Dr. Gourahari Das, and many others from the literary fraternity.
Awardees expressed gratitude, describing the ‘Pragativadi’ recognition as a great source of inspiration. Feature Editor Sashibhushan Sahoo delivered the vote of thanks.
The Foundation Day of ‘Pragativadi’ (May 1) holds special significance as it coincides with Buddha Purnima, the birth anniversaries of saint-poet Bhima Bhoi, Santhali language creator Pandit Raghunath Murmu, freedom fighter Gopabandhu Choudhury, and International Labour Day – a fitting reminder of the progressive ideals the platform stands for.
In an era of rapid change and deepening inequalities, ‘Pragativadi’ has once again reaffirmed that true literature is not mere words on paper – it is a powerful instrument for social awakening and accountability.
