Eminent Odia litterateur Manglu Charan Biswal passed away at his village Dunguri under Parmanpur block in Sambalpur on Tuesday morning following prolonged illness. He was 86.
Though Biswal was a teacher by profession, his passion was writing. He started writing from his school days and carved a niche for himself in the field of literature over the past several decades. He wrote many short stories, novels and poems which have been highly appreciated by readers across the State.
Biswal was the writer of famous Sambalpuri play ‘Bhukha’ which was later converted to a movie by eminent director Sabyasachi Mohapatra in 1989. It was the first film from Odisha to get an International Jury Award at the Gijon International Film Festival. The movie portrays the plight of the ‘Bajnias’ or ‘Ganda’ tribe of Odisha who are traditionally drummers by profession and the negative impact of cultural dominance by dominant class of people.
Biswal was conferred with an honorary D.Litt. degree by the Sambalpur University for his rich contribution to literature. He had also received Bharatchandra Nayak Smruti Sahitya Samman and Vyasakabi Fakir Mohan Bhasa Samman.
“Biswal was an ideal teacher and prolific writer. His demise is a great loss for Western Odisha and the whole State. He was also a family friend of me and I am deeply saddened with his demise,” said Mohapatra.
BJP Vice-President Baijayant Panda expressed his condolence on the sad demise of Biswal.
“I am deeply saddened by the demise of Dr. Manglu Charan Biswal who was an ideal teacher, renowned writer, storyteller, poet and dramatist in Odia language. I extend my sympathies to the bereaved family members,” tweeted Panda.
(Edited by Rashmi Ranjan Mohanty)