ODISHA HAS LOST A BRILLIANT JOURNALIST, BASUDEV MOHAPATRA
Prasanta Patnaik
I am terribly shocked and saddened to know about sudden demise of my younger brother like famous non-compromising media person Basudev Mohapatra today ( 1st May, 2023) at Capital Hospital because of cardiac arrest. Basu as I usually called him is survived by wife brilliant journalist Sujata and a son. He had his education in Godavarish Vidyapith, Banpur and had done his Post Graduate Masers degree in History from Berhampur University. He had love for Odia language and literature also.
Both Basu and Sujata belonged to a respectable Brahmin family of Banpur and their love and marriage was a matter of discussion in the area, But both of them were bold enough to face the criticism and got married with blessings o their parents.
Basu who had started his journalist career with Dharitri subsequently changed over to electronic media and joined as the news head of Naxatra TV. Under his able leadership and guidance Naxatra TV gained reputation and credibility.
He believed in journalistic ethics and joined hands with like minded friends in the media to give justice to the suffering media persons of Odisha.
He was one of the founder member of the Media Unity For Freedom of Press ( MUFP ) and fought relentlessly to uphold the freedom of Press.
Throughout his career as a media person he had never surrendered before any political of financial pressure and have kept his head rising ignoring any fear or favour.
He was a talented photographer also and used his camera for capturing meaningful shots.
His wife Sujata was like my younger sister and was very close to my wife Chandraprava and all the members of the family , Sujata joined INDIA TV after I retired from this National News Channel and worked to the full satisfaction of the management and finally joined Kalinga TV where she proved her capabilities as an Excellent reporter .
Today on the sudden demise of Basu I have lost an younger brother in the professional and personal life and praying for his humble soul to rest in peace under the lotus feet of Lord Jagannath and the Lord give enough strength to Sujata, their only son as well as all family members to face the world with courage like the brilliant media person Basudev Mohapatra.His untimely death has been condoned by all the media persons of the State as well as a number of literary persons and politicians. His brother-in-law Swayamprakash Mohapatra is the spokesperson of the ruling Biju Janata Dal.
