Prof Dev Mohapatra’s birth centenary celebration tomorrow

Odisha

New Delhi: A commemorative event to mark the birth centenary of Prof Dev Mohapatra will be held on Sunday at the National School of Drama here.

Union Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma, Odisha Culture Minister Ashok Chandra Panda, Lalit Mansingh, Suparno Satpathy, Jatin Das and Resident Commissioner Sunil K Bhargava are scheduled to grace the event.

Prof Dev Mohapatra an author and creative artist from Odisha made significant contributions in the field of literature and theatre in the early period post Independence era of India. His first Odia book in 1940 ‘Drushtikon’ written on ‘sex and love’  was a taboo in that age, but the same was critically acclaimed by established writers of that era Laxmikanta Mohapatra, Harishchandra Baral and Radhanayak Gadnayak. They had appreciated the then young Dev’s ideas.

In 1948 Prof Mohapatra launched his seminal work an illustrated hand written magazine in Odia from Bombay called “Kumkum”. It proudly holds the place as the first hand written illustrated Odia magazine.

In 1959 Prof Mohapatra was selected for a UNESCO scholarship to study Scenic Design and Theatre Architecture in Japan and returning from there he got the job of an Associate Professor at the newly established National School of Drama (NSD).

He remained associated with NSD and the theatre world from 1960 till 1995, the year he passed away due to a sudden illness. He made significant contributions towards popularizing Odissi dance form and dancers in the national capital.

He held workshops on theatre architecture, scenic design and puppetry in various parts of the country. He was selected to be on the Jury of national as well as international film festivals.

Satyen Mohapatra son of late Prof Mohapatra said that the programme will showcase

The centenary commemoration programme is a collaborative effort of National School of Drama, the Language Literature and Culture Department of Odisha, said Satyen Mohapatra son of late Prof Mohapatra.

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