Bhubaneswar (OT Webdesk): Many prominent politicians, newspaper editors, journalists and prominent people from different sections of the society paid emotional tributes to veteran journalist Ratikant Mohanty, who passed away recently, on Saturday at a special memorial meeting.
The memorial meeting organised at the Geet Govinda Sadan in Bhubaneswar was inaugurated by Odisha Assembly Speaker Surama Padhy, former Finance Minister Prafulla Ghadai, Prasanna Acharya, Panchanan Kanungo and senior Congress leader Niranjan Patnaik by lighting the lamp.
In her tribute, Speaker Surama Padhy said that Ratikant Mohanty was a source of inspiration for many. She added that she was guided by him, how to rise in politics and also said that his reporting style was the most unique and different. He earned a great reputation as an honest, impartial and dedicated journalist. If we can follow the path he shows, that will be the best tribute to him. She also assured that the Assembly would consider the suggestions given by the “Ratikant Memorial Committee” to preserve Ratikant’s memory forever.
Former Finance Minister Prafulla Ghadai said that Ratikant Babu had established himself as a very soft-spoken, unassuming and honest journalist. During the Biju Patnaik regime, Ratikant had a lot of influence in politics and the administrative sphere. Not only that, but he had good relations with Chief Ministers like Janaki Ballabh Patnaik, Hemanand Biswal and Giridhar Gamang, but he never asked anyone for anything for himself. Senior Congress leader Niranjan Patnaik said that his departure has caused an irreparable loss in Odisha journalism.
Former minister Shrikant Jena said he was very close to Ratikant. He could have asked for something for himself if he wanted. But he never asked for anything.
The memorial meeting conducted by Ratitant Memorial Committee Chairman Rabi Das and Memorial Committee Editor Prabhukalyan Mohapatra, was attended by minister Prithviraj Harichandan, Pradesh Congress Committee President Bhakta Charan Das, former minister Devi Prasad Mishra, Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, Arun Kumar Sahu, Sanjay Das Burma, Bijay Nayak, Anant Jena, Sudarshan Das, BJP leader Golak Mohapatra, CPI (M) State General Secretary Suresh Panigrahi, senior journalists Rajaram Satapathy, Pradyumna Satapathy, Batkrishna Tripathi, Rajesh Mohapatra, Prasanna Mohanty, Sandeep Sahu, Subhasish Mohanty, Pradyumna Mohanty, Ramesh Chandra Mohanty, Sandeep Mishra, Pradosh Patnaik, Prasanna Pati, Debanaran Sethi, Manoranjan Mishra, Ashok Sahu, Dilip Subuddhi, Arvind Mishra, Bibhuti Kar, Purva Maharatha, Seemachana Patnaik, Vivek Jena, Ramesh Swain, Sanjay Jena, Akshay Kumar Sahu, Birupakshya Tripathy, Yayati Mohanty, Garija Sankar Dash, Dilip Bishoi, Siraj Ahmed, Gyanranjan Das, Bapin Singh, Pradeep Raut, Purva Satipatthi, Parthasarathi Jena, Devadat Patra, Dev Mohanty, Deepak Mahapatra, Chinmay Mahapatra, Apurla Mohanty, Sarada Dev, Avinash Mishra, Priyaranjan Sahu, Sanjay Das, Bhagwat Tripathi, Suresh Kar, Deepak Kumar Kar, Arvind Kuruman, Sukant Mohanty, Riaz Mohammed, Lopamudra Jena, Madhavananda Behura, Nalini Sahu, Suryakanti Nayak, Engineer Lalit Patnaik and several journalists from state capital.
Speaker Surma Padhi unveiled “Smaranika” of the Rati Bhai Memorial Committee.
On this occasion, the members of Ratkant Mohanty, including his daughters Puja Mohanty and Bandana Mohanty, were present.
