Bhubaneswar: Nandini Satpathy was way ahead of her times in not just introducing pro-people policies, but she was even a sophisticated cultural icon of her era, renowned journalist Pallavi Rebbapragada said at the launch of her biography on Odisha’s only chief minister here Saturday.
The event was held at Bakul Library where the author shared compelling glimpses of Nandini’s political and personal life, which ranged from being Information and Broadcasting Minister in Indira Gandhi’s Cabinet to becoming the chief minister.
Talking to founder of Bakul Foundation Sujit Mahapatra, Pallavi said, “Even though India played a key-role in the formation of Bangladesh, Nandini’s contribution for the Bangladeshi freedom is still naïve to many people. During those times, Nandini helped create Free Bangla Radio, which gave a sense of hope among fellow Bengalis for a separate nation”.
While the entire state questioned the mum of Nandini during the Emergency times, Pallavi said the chief minister was, too, pained by the autocratic rule of Indira Gandhi. “While civil rights were in a state of downhill in the entire nation, Nandini ensured fewer arrests in the state, in comparison to others,” she said.
“The entire period of writing the biography has been a liberating process for me. When I became pregnant, I came across that Nandini was also arrested while she was pregnant and she was lodged in a narrowly-structured jail. This was a sort of awakening inside me that realised the greatness of the lady,” Pallavi added.
Sharing further details, Pallavi said very few people know that Nandini was good friends with Raj Kapoor and many yesteryear stars of Hindi film Industry. “In fact, Nandini Satpathy flew to Paris to the ad-shoot of Vogue, a lifestyle magazine,” she said
The event was attended by Editor, Dharitri and Orissa Post Tathagata Satpathy and Chief Executive of the dailies Adyasha Satpathy. Former Editor-In-Chief of Outlook Ruben Banerjee and many others also graced the occasion. The event ended with a question and answer session with the author. Later, a few signed copies of the biography were distributed at the event.
Debadurllav Harichandan, OP