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Purnachandra Bhasakosha reprint released

BHUBANESWAR: Friday was a historic day for the Oriya language and literature. On this day, Purnachandra Bhasakosha, the Oriya dictionary compiled by late legendary lexicographer Gopal Chandra Praharaj 70 years ago, was reprinted and released in the capital much to the cheer of the Oriya people.

Culture, Tourism and Higher Education Minister Debi Prasad Mishra released the seven-volume dictionary containing 1.85 lakh words in 9558 pages published by Lark Books at a function held at the Rotary Bhawan here on Friday. Minister of State for Sports and Youth Affairs Prabin Chandra Bhanj Deo chaired over the ceremony. Bhanj Deo belongs to the royal family of the erstwhile princely state of Mayurbhanj that had provided financial support to Praharaj to publish the voluminous work.

“The dictionary was not available for sale for long and there was a great demand to reprint it. I am happy and honoured that it could be made available to the public despite several hurdles,” said publisher Mahendra Mishra. Praharaj, an eminent lawyer of his times, had worked tirelessly for 18 years to compile the work, Mr. Mishra said and added that the first volume was published in 1931 and the last came out in 1940.

It’s a sacred service to the motherland, observed poet Haraprasad Das while addressing the gathering on the occasion.

There is an urgent need to include those non-Oriya words into Oriya dictionaries which are being used frequently by the people for long and are being accepted as commonly used words like English language has liberally accepted words from other languages, he said.

He further suggested that dictionaries should be reviewed and republished in each 10 years to contain the latest addition of words and their usage.Poet and former Central Sahitya Akademi president Ramakant Rath was present.

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Purnachandra Bhasakosha reprint released

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