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A living legend of south Orissa

Biswanath Patnaik at his spinning wheel.

BERHAMPUR: ‘Koraput’s Gandhi’, Biswanath Patnaik still lives as the living embodiment of Gandhian ideologies at remote Baliguda in Kandhmal district. Despite pained by the erosion of ideals that he had stood for during these 60 years of independence, he is struggling to keep the Gandhism alive through his acts. He is legend in his lifetime.

Jnanpith award winner Gopinath Mohanty’s main protagonist in his famous novel ‘Mati Matal’, was none other than Mr Patnaik. His selfless social work among tribals of South Orissa since Brtish era has made him known as ‘Koraput’s Gandhi’. People also call him only ‘Ajna’ out of respect. His biography ‘Ajna’ has won the State Sahitya Akademi award. But Mr Patnaik has preferred to live away from limelight among the tribals as directed by his mentor, the Mahatma.

The Vanavasi Seva Samity, which he had formed tribal development in undivided Koraput, Kalahandi and Kandhamal district before independence still runs with him as the crux, said Utsav Jena, secretary of the institution. Several residential schools for children, Kanyashram, orphanages, old age homes in tribal pockets of south Orissa bear the name of Mr Patnaik as founder. It seems he had forgotten to have a family of his own due to his love for motherland. He had taken up social service as his first love since 1935, when he went to Puri as Congress volunteer at the age of 18.

It followed participation in Quit India movement, Sarvodaya and Bhudan movements in Orissa. "My Vanavasi Seva Samity became my family,” he says. "I know his memory would protect my conscience like a fatherly figure all through my life," said Rangadhar Panda, a student of the Vanavasi School, Baliguda.

As a true Gandhian he continues to wear the loin cloth with a lathi in hand. As he believes in service without desire of getting anything in return he has till date not accepted the Government sops and pensions for freedom fighters, said joint secretary of the Samity Rabindra Panda. But different organisations of the State have come forward to honour him. He has preferred to donate all the money he received as awards to his institutions for the tribals.

Even at this advanced age running the spinning wheel is his past time.

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