Shri Bicchanda Charan Pattnaik was not just the founder of Odisha’s second oldest cultural organisation the Kalinga Bharati(estd.1944)and first student cultural society the Utkal Chhatra Sahitya Samaj(estd.1943) but he was the fire that protected, promoted and projected the marvels of Odia literature. Born on 20th January 1901 in Khordha, Bicchanda was a great scholar and poet and had a great command over both English and Odia. Handicapped physically due to polio such was his will power that his words walked the miles for him, his meticulous translations of medieval poems in various magazines of had prompted Utkal Gourab Madhusudan Das to come to his place to acknowledge his mastery over both English and Odia. Bicchanda Babu is not just a person who lives through his children or his students,he is a phenomenon that will live by its impact, Sir’s contribution to Odia literature shall never be forgotten.
Today on the occasion of his Birth anniversary, while remembering him through his works I admire him for his lion will power with which he single handedly fought against the then literary society. At a time when the language and literature of Odisha- the first linguistic state of the country was threatened from neighbouring cultural intrusions it was Bicchanda Charana Pattanaik who stood firmly against this. He was a master in english but for his love for Odisha and Odia he left writing in english and took the task of propagating our language, with Kabi Samrat Upendra Bhanja as the main literary master. He started organising Jayanti’s of ancient and medieval era literary contributors of Odisha like Pancha Sakha, Abhimanyu, Gaura charana Dinakrushna and many more.
Kalinga Bharati and Utkal Chhatra Sahitya Samaj the two literary societies created by him in 1944 and 1943 respectively have till date been working on his footsteps to promote, preserve and propagate the literary heritage of Odisha.
ଜୟ ମା କଳିଙ୍ଗ ଭାରତୀ
Scribbled Inks... 