Annual Festival of Milani Sahitya Sansad Held in Kendujhar

Kendujhar, Dec, 22: At the Sanskruti Bhavan, the 63rd Annual Festival of Milani Sahi Sahitya Sansad, one of the oldest and leading literary institutions of the state, was held under the chairmanship of poet Debashish Chakrabarty.
Amid Vedic chants by Pandit Rangadhar, the guests inaugurated the festival by offering floral tributes and lighting lamps before the idols of the presiding deity Lord Baladebji and the state goddess Maa Tarini. At the beginning, a one-minute silence was observed in memory of the departed souls of Vijayalakshmi Dikshit, Dibakar Sahu, and Amulya Kumar Mishra.
Vice-President poet Sudha Dash delivered the welcome address, while Secretary poet Dr. Chitta Ranjan Mishra presented the annual report. The guests released the institution’s mouthpiece “Milani Banabina” along with the books “Apasora Smruti” by Dr. Bharati Mahapatra, “Bhaktiru Jata Shakti” by Binapani Jena, and “Tamapain” by Umakanta Behera.
The Divisional Forest Officer Dhanaraj H. D. attended as the chief guest and appealed to everyone to remain committed to protecting the dignity of the mother tongue. Eminent writer Dr. Anil Kumar Das joined as a distinguished guest and advised literary practitioners to be socially responsible. Renowned literary critic Dr. Benudhar Padhi, as the keynote speaker, delivered a thought-provoking address on the dignity of the Odia language and literature.
In his presidential address, poet Debashish Chakrabarty highlighted the rich literary heritage of Kendujhar and urged creative writers to stay rooted in the soil. State-level honors were conferred on Senapati Pradyumna Keshari for poetry, Dr. Benudhar Padhi for essays, Lakshmi Chand for short stories, Dr. Kamalakanta Jena for children’s literature, and Ghanashyam Boitei for lifetime contribution to literature.
A poetry recital session was held under the chairmanship of poet Dr. Karshik Chandra Mishra, where Mamata Rani Das and Indumati Patra participated as chief guest and keynote speaker respectively. Under the coordination of Mandakini Kar and Devadarshan Dash, numerous poets recited their poems. Poetess Shobhana Jena delivered the welcome address, while poets Harihar Mahanta and Biranchi Narayan Samantaray proposed the vote of thanks during the first and second sessions respectively.