Bhubaneswar: Odisha lost another jewel from the field of journalism after veteran journalist, columnist and litterateur Basant Dash lost his 10-day battle against Covid 19 on Friday night.
Dash had tested positive for the virus on May 16 and was under home quarantine along with his wife who was also found infected.
He, was admitted to KIIMS on May 27 after developing breathlessness with decline in oxygen saturation level.
Following over a week long battle, he succumbed to the virus last night despite all efforts of doctors.
“He was under treatment for last 10 days at KIIMS after being infected with Covid. We received information from the hospital authorities that he passed away last night,” said Chanadan Dash, son of the deceased journalist.
“He was a multi- talented writer. His contribution to journalism and Odia literature is unforgettable. He had also received many accolades for his life time contribution to literature,” said Amiya Dash, his younger brother.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Information and Public Relation Department Minister Raghunandan Das and Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee President Niranjan Patnaik expressed grief over the untimely demise of the veteran journalist.
Odisha Union of Journalists (OUJ) also expressed condolences over the death of Dash.
“His demise created a void in journalism. Dash had carved a niche for himself in thr field of journalism and Odia literature. He had received prestigious Odisha Sahitya Akademi Award for his book ‘Je Desha Jai, Se Phala Khai’. He has also left a rare achievement for the budding researchers in Journalism through his book ‘Political history of modern Odisha’ which acts as a reference for the journalists of the new generation,” OUJ president Prasana Mohanty said.
Dash was among a handful of scribes who had worked in national level news papers and magazine while living in Odisha, Mohanty added.
He was an inspiration for the new age journalists, Mohanty said.