By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: The IMFA Group sponsored Sarala Pursakar -2022 selection procedure has invited severe criticism from literary fraternity in Odisha. The controversy came to fore after the IMFA Group announced to honour, Gaurahari Das, with Sarala Puraskar-2022.
Interestingly, the publisher of “Bagha O Anyanya Galpa”, Time pass Publication, is owned by Saroj Bal, who is also convenor of Sarala Puraskar Committee. Bal is also president, of Sambad Sahitya Ghar, where winner Das is working as Feature Editor, with Sambad Odia Daily. “That means, there was a secret deal between Das and Bal,” sources said.
Sources said, Bhima Prusty’s ‘Jambbu Loka’ was expected to grab the Award but due to manipulations, Das’s “Bagha O Anyanya Galpa got Sarala Puraskar.
One wrote in social media platform that “ ଗୌରହରି ଦାସଙ୍କ ଏ ବହିର ପ୍ରକାଶକ ହେଲେ ଟାଇମପାସ୍ ପବ୍ଲିକେସନ। ସଂପାଦକ-ମାଲିକ ହେଲେ ସରୋଜ ବଳ। ଗୌରହରିଙ୍କ କୃପାବଳରେ ସରୋଜ ବଳ ‘ସମ୍ବାଦ ସାହିତ୍ୟଘର’ର ସଭାପତି।ଇମ୍ଫା ସାରଳା ପୁରସ୍କାର କମିଟିର ଆବାହକ ହେଲେ ଏଇ ସରୋଜ ବଳ। ଅର୍ଥାତ୍ ଇମ୍ଫା କମିଟି ଆବାହକ ନିଜ ପ୍ରକାଶିତ ବହିକୁ ନିଜେ ପୁରସ୍କୃତ କଲେ।,’ He again wrote “ସରଳରେ କହିଲେ- ଇମ୍ଫାର ସରୋଜ ବଳ ପ୍ରକାଶକ ସରୋଜ ବଳଙ୍କୁ ପୁରସ୍କୃତ କଲେ।,”.
He also wrote “ପ୍ରଥମେ ବଙ୍ଗଳା ସାହିତ୍ୟରୁ ଚୋରି ଓ ଧରାପଡିବାପରେ ଅସମିୟା, ଗୁଜୁରାଟୀ, କୋଙ୍କଣୀ କୋଉଠୁ କୋଉଠୁ ଚୋରି କରି ମହାଶୟ ଗାଳ୍ପିକ ବନିଗଲେ ତାହା ତାଙ୍କ ସମସାମୟିକ ଲେଖକମାନେ ଜାଣନ୍ତି ଓ ଆଲୋଚନା ବି କରନ୍ତି।ଚୋରି କରିବା ଏକ କଳା ଓ ଚୋରି କରି ଧରା ନପଡିବା ଆହୁରି ବଡ କଳା। ସେ ଦୃଷ୍ଟିରୁ ମହାଶୟ ବଡ କଳାକାର। ହେଲେ ମୌଳିକ ଲେଖକ ନୁହନ୍ତି।,”.
Earlier on Monday, the IMFA Group, in a statement, had said Eminent Odia fiction writer Dr Gourahari Das will get the 43rd edition of prestigious Sarala Puraskar for his short-story collection “Bagha O Anyanya Galpa”, published by Time pass Publication in 2018. He will receive a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh along with a citation at the 43rd Sarala Puraskar award giving ceremony.
This award is given by IMPaCT, a charitable wing of the Indian Metals and Ferro Alloys Ltd. in recognition of Odia literature. With this literature award, London based eminent painter and writer Sri Prafulla Mohanti and Odissi music Guru Sri Ghanshyam Panda will be honoured with ‘Ila-Bansidhar Panda Kala Samman’ for the valuable contribution in the field of art and music, respectively. Both will receive a cash award of Rs. 1.5 Lakh each and citations.
The annual Sarala Puraskar, instituted by eminent Odia industrialist Dr Bansidhar Panda and his wife Ila Panda in 1980, has been continuously awarded by the Indian Metals Public Charitable Trust (IMPaCT ) , according to a statement on Monday. The award giving ceremony will be held in Bhubaneswar on 26th October 2022.
