By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: The Gangadhar Meher Pratisthan has submitted a letter to the Chief Secretary of Odisha with the request that a postage stamp should be issued ion the Centenary of his death which will happen on 4th April 2024.
A team of three members of the Pratisthan comprising of Sanjib Chandra Hota, Former State Election Commissioner, Advisor of the Pratisthan, Narendra Kumar Mishra ,Former Vice Chancellor of Odisha Culture University, Chairman and Mihir Meher, Convener of the Pratisthan called on Pradeep Jena, Chief Secretary to the Government of Odisha recently and requested him that the State Government should initiate measures with the Government of India to release the stamp in honour of Swababha Kabi Gangadhara Meher in April next year.
Considered as one of the prodigies in the Odia literature, the legendary poet was a literary Midas, who transformed everything into gold by the alchemic touch of his genius. He was a born poet of delicate charm. He was essentially a poet of intuition and had a penetrating insight. In almost all his writings there is a glimpse of originality.
The great poet, who is a household name in Odisha was born in 1862 in a weaver family. Gangadhar Meher could read only up to the Middle Vernacular Standard, hurdling over many diverse disadvantages. As a young boy, he had heard the Odia Ramayana composed by Balaram Das and the Odia Mahabharata by Sarala Das and was greatly influenced by them. He also read and mastered a great number of Sanskrit books; and became proficient in both Hindi and Bengali.
The Chief Secretary has assured the team that all steps will be taken for the release of the postage stamp. Earlier, Anil Dhir, Vice President of the Eastern India Philatelists Association too had written to the Minister for Communications in regard to issue postage stamps on the luminaries of Odisha. Besides, he has also requested that the PMG Odisha should also issue a Special Cover on the poet laureate of Odisha on the occasion. Eminent artist and philatelist Hitesh Seth has also submitted his artwork which can be considered as a design for the proposed stamp.
