REMEMBERING ACE JOURNALIST SWARUP JENA.
Prasanta Patnaik
Odishabarta
Bhubaneswar,10/10/21:Today is the 46th Sradha of great journalist Swarup Jena who was very close to my heart. I used to call him “Kuni Bhai” as we were known since our Ravenshaw College days.He was two years senior to me. after completing his M.A in English he had joined a private college for few moths and subsequently preferred journalism over teaching.
Kuni bhai had joined Janashakti an Odia daily published by the then Chief Minister Biren Mitra. He was very friendly with the juniors like me.His younger brother Alok ( Bhuna) was my classmate and his elder brother poet Bibek Jena ( Gudum bhai) who was a good poet and sportsperson was also dearer to me and my friends like Devdas Chhotray, Soubhagya Mishra, Jitu patnaik etc.
Gudum bhai ( Bibek Jena) was in Indian audit and accounts service. at that time the office of the accountant general for odisha was in functioning in Barabati Stadium, Cuttack. Gudum bhai advised all of us to recommend our friends interested in sports to him so that he can appoint them in his office. accordingly, We sent a number of our friends interested in sports and literature to Gudum bhai who did not disappoint any one.
The tennis field of Ravenshaw College was our meeting ground where we were meeting almost every day. Subsequently, the AG Office started functioning at Bhubaneswar and almost all Media activities also shifted to Bhubaneswar. Kuni bhai joined the Hindustrhan Standard of Ananda Bazar group initially under Nitish Chakravarty and subsequently under Sunit Ghosh.
Kuni bhai had a very powerful pen and by attitude he was non compromising.
Since he was very critical of the chief ministers and ministers he was inviting anger of the ruling class, but he was highly loved and respected by the common men and intellectuals.
Kuni bhai became a victim of political atrocities and breathed his last 46 years ago. but his boldness and free journalism will be remembered for ever. Because of god’s blessings both his sons have successfully established themselves in the society. and have made us proud. eldest son dipu is the executive president of IMRB and Papu is also equally highly placed.
on his 46th Sradha today, i am paying my respectful homage to Kuni bhai . I also pay high tribute to his poet and bureaucrat elder brother Gudum bhai. who was an elder brother to me.
