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Bibhuti Patnaik turns 71

— Photo: Lingaraj Panda

Moment to cherish: Writer Bibhuti Patnaik being felicitated by Bimalendu Mohanty, former Vice-Chancellor, in Bhubaneswar on Thursday.

BHUBANESWAR: Orissa’s most popular writer Bibhuti Patnaik had no clue that his birthday would be an occasion for special celebration in the capital city on Thursday.

The celebrated novelist and columnist who has more than 150 books to his credit, turned 71 on Thursday. And he had a pleasant surprise in the morning when representatives of the city-based Prerana socio-cultural organisation and Pakhighar literary publication reached him with an invitation to join the writer’s birthday celebration at the IDCOL auditorium.

Mr.Patnaik was doubly delighted to discover a number of writers, publishers, administrators of cultural institutions, columnists and above all several of his fans anxiously waiting for his arrival at the auditorium. While he along with his wife was felicitated by the host organisations, several eminent personalities including former Vice-Chancellor Utkal University of Culture Bimalendu Mohanty, Orissa Sahitya Akademi secretary H.P.Parichha Patnaik, Bhubaneswar Book Fair founder-secretary and columnist Barendra Krushna Dhal, writer and journalist Gourahari Das, Oriya Bhasa Pratisthan secretary Arabinda Ray, film lyricist Rajani Ranjan and literary editor and publisher Saroj Bal spoke on the popular writer who is a household name among the Oriyas.

Several of the speakers regretted that such a popular and potential writer is yet to be awarded by the Central Sahitya Akademi. Mr.Patnaik, however, humbly retorted. "I have enough of it in my life. Could there be a greater award for a writer than the love and appreciation of the readers?" he said in his characteristic manner.

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