SOUMYA RANJAN PATNAIK
A Man of Maa Maati Matruvasha
Soumya Ranjan Patnaik
Among the pioneers of resurgence of Odia Nationalism, he brought about a silent revolution for Maa, Maati and Matruvasha in the state. Shri Soumya Ranjan Patnaik is a household name in Odisha. Though he has worn many hats with aplomb during his illustrious, four-decade long public life, he is primarily known as the founding Chairman of Eastern Media Limited, the biggest media conglomerate in the state.
A Man of Many Parts
A brilliant student who studied at the prestigious London School of Economics (LSE) and Oxford University, he could have opted for a lucrative job in the civil services, academics or any other field. But a passionate desire to give voice to the voiceless drew him away from the rarefied environs of top foreign universities to the grim realities of his home state, one of the poorest in India. In 1984, he returned to Odisha to launch ‘Sambad’, an Odia newspaper that combined the best of modern technology with the best of young talent drawn from across the state.
In the four decades since then, ‘Sambad’ has emerged as the most read vernacular daily in Odisha with a readership of over 1.5 million. During the same period, the ‘Sambad Group’ has grown by leaps and bounds – both vertically and laterally – to become the biggest media brand
in the state, complete with a 24X7 news channel, an FM radio station, a news portal, a school of media and culture and an entertainment division that produces movies and opera shows.
Passionately committed to promotion of the Odia language, Patnaik launched a state-wide competition in Odia writing at the school level under the aegis of Aama Odisha, the CSR arm of the Sambad Group. Over the years, more than a million prizes have been given away to the successful students, many of them from rural areas. The ‘Shuddha Odia Likhana’ (‘Writing Correct Odia’) competition has been unanimously acknowledged as the single biggest exercise in the popularization of the Odia language outside the government sector.
It was only a matter of time before Soumya Ranjan, the passionate Odia at heart, made the natural progression from language to literature. In 2011, he started ‘Sambad Sahitya Ghar’, a unique initiative that sought to revive an interest in literature at the grassroots level. With 362 branches spread across the length and breadth of the state, besides Odia-speaking areas in the neighboring states of Jharkhand and West Bengal, and over 30, 000 active, committed members, its growth has been nothing short of phenomenal in the time since then.
Never one to rest on his laurels, Patnaik turned his attention to the acute shortage of blood which caused many eminently avoidable deaths. With the slogan “Let no one die for want of blood”, he launched one of the biggest blood donation drives anywhere in the country in 2006. Since then, Aama Odisha has set a national record in the highest single day collection of blood units. The Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) and the Odisha government have awarded and felicitated him and Aama Odisha multiple times for their exemplary contribution to the cause of blood donation in the state.
Always a restless spirit constantly seeking newer avenues of serving the people, Patnaik took a plunge into politics and took up burning causes like farmer distress and the misery of those who lost their savings of a lifetime in the chit fund scam and courted arrest. Like his other endeavours, he achieved considerable success in this field too, becoming a member of the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha and the Odisha Assembly.
His cupboard is full of awards and citations from a host of organisations. Among the most notable of them are an honorary Doctorate’s degree from the state-owned Berhampur University, the prestigious Harekrushna Mahatab Samman in 2013, the ‘Madhubabu Samman’ in 2018 and the first Viswamitra International Award, 2019 in the category Empowering People’s
Voice.
Soumya Ranjan Patnaik has been a man of many parts; a media baron who has revolutionised the vernacular media scene, a lover of the Odia language who has done more for the promotion of the language than anyone else, an orator par excellence who can keep the audience captivated, a social worker who has turned blood donation into a people’s movement and an uncompromising politician who has risen above the confines of the party to champion people’s causes.
It would be no exaggeration to say he is one of the makers of modern Odisha
Revolutionalises the quality of public life; interest of Odisha and the Odias prioritises
Vision Strengthening the State
- In a state long used to reading stale news in dak edition, ‘Sambad’ came as a breath of fresh air as its first morning edition daily with the latest news and an attractive packaging. It has many firsts to its credit: the first Odia newspaper to usher in photo typesetting, the first to introduce colour pages on Sundays, the first to devote a whole page each to sports and literature and the first to launch regional editions.
- Even as it scaled new heights in journalistic excellence, ‘Sambad’ emerged as the best finishing school for successive generations of wannabe journalists. Journalists groomed here comprise the virtual Who’s Who of the media fraternity in Odisha.
- Kanak News, the 24X7 news channel from the ‘Sambad’ stable, has established itself as the most credible and trustworthy electronic media platform in the state with its unbiased coverage of events.
- Sambad.in, the digital arm of the Sambad Group, is a leader in its field, having earned the trust of lakhs of news consumers.
- ‘Katha’, a monthly magazine from the Sambad Group, has spawned hundreds of storytellers and playwrights in the state.
- Founded on the auspicious Srigundicha day in 1996, Aama Odisha has ushered in a virtual cultural renaissance in Odisha with its forays into multiple arenas like blood donation, popularisation of the Odia language and publications.
- Its great success in promoting blood donation has inspired thousands of people, the youth in particular, to join what has now become a movement of sorts. Even the ruling party was impressed enough to take up the cause as one of its core outreach programmes in the state.
- The success of its Odia writing competition among school students can be gauged from the fact that the Hon’ble Governor of Odisha organised a state-wide essay competition involving over 70, 000 students under the aegis of Aama Odisha.
- With 158 titles to its credit, the publication wing of Aama Odisha has emerged as one of the leading publishers in the state. Many more books, covering diverse fields, are in the pipeline in what is the best possible testimony to the quality of the publications.
- ‘Pourusha’, the monthly socio-cultural magazine published by Aama Odisha, has earned for itself the lasting loyalty of the readers. Launched by the Late Janaki Ballav Patnaik in the 1960s, this cultural digest had gone into oblivion before Aama Odisha revived and popularised it among readers.
Sambad Sahitya Ghara
- Apart from regular literary activities, SSG has also contributed significantly to tree plantation in the state, having planted a whopping 2.5 lakh trees in the fours years since the initiative was launched.
- With 362 branches covering virtually every block in Odisha, Sambad Sahitya Ghara (SSG) is now a truly pan-Odisha literary organisation. Each of these branches organises a poetry recitation session every month. Besides, local men and women of letters also celebrate quintessential Odia cultural festivals, including the birth and death anniversaries of the giants of Odia literature and organise discussions on their work. Most of the branches also bring about their annual number along with a full published ‘Indradhanu’ page in Sambad to commemorate their annual congregation.
KMBB Group of Institutions
- KMBB Engineering College, Khurdha offers various B. Tech courses while KMBB +2 Science College, Naranpur, Cuttack has been achieving exemplary results in every academic session.
- KMBB School of Nursing has been augmenting government efforts to train more nursing personnel to cater to the rapidly growing health infrastructure in the state.
- KMBB Engineering College, Khurdha offers various B. Tech courses while KMBB +2 Science College, Naranpur, Cuttack has been achieving exemplary results in every academic session.
Eastern Media Entertainment brings about various programs in the field:-
- Eastern Media Entertainment, a subsidiary of Eastern Media Limited, produces high quality Odia films, besides managing a host of Jatra groups. It also runs Manjari TV, a popular entertainment channel.
- Another offshoot of the Eastern Media Entertainment is Radio Chocklate 104 FM, the first private FM radio station that caters to listeners in a number of cities across the state.
- In a state long used to reading stale news in dak edition, ‘Sambad’ came as a breath of fresh air as its first morning edition daily with the latest news and an attractive packaging. It has many firsts to its credit: the first Odia newspaper to usher in photo typesetting, the first to introduce colour pages on Sundays, the first to devote a whole page each to sports and literature and the first to launch regional editions.
- Even as it scaled new heights in journalistic excellence, ‘Sambad’ emerged as the best finishing school for successive generations of wannabe journalists. Journalists groomed here comprise the virtual Who’s Who of the media fraternity in Odisha.
- Kanak News, the 24X7 news channel from the ‘Sambad’ stable, has established itself as the most credible and trustworthy electronic media platform in the state with its unbiased coverage of events.
- Sambad.in, the digital arm of the Sambad Group, is a leader in its field, having earned the trust of lakhs of news consumers.
- ‘Katha’, a monthly magazine from the Sambad Group, has spawned hundreds of storytellers and playwrights in the state.
- Founded on the auspicious Srigundicha day in 1996, Aama Odisha has ushered in a virtual cultural renaissance in Odisha with its forays into multiple arenas like blood donation, popularisation of the Odia language and publications.
- Its great success in promoting blood donation has inspired thousands of people, the youth in particular, to join what has now become a movement of sorts. Even the ruling party was impressed enough to take up the cause as one of its core outreach programmes in the state.
- The success of its Odia writing competition among school students can be gauged from the fact that the Hon’ble Governor of Odisha organised a state-wide essay competition involving over 70, 000 students under the aegis of Aama Odisha.
- With 158 titles to its credit, the publication wing of Aama Odisha has emerged as one of the leading publishers in the state. Many more books, covering diverse fields, are in the pipeline in what is the best possible testimony to the quality of the publications.
- ‘Pourusha’, the monthly socio-cultural magazine published by Aama Odisha, has earned for itself the lasting loyalty of the readers. Launched by the Late Janaki Ballav Patnaik in the 1960s, this cultural digest had gone into oblivion before Aama Odisha revived and popularised it among readers.
Sambad Sahitya Ghara
- Apart from regular literary activities, SSG has also contributed significantly to tree plantation in the state, having planted a whopping 2.5 lakh trees in the fours years since the initiative was launched.
- With 362 branches covering virtually every block in Odisha, Sambad Sahitya Ghara (SSG) is now a truly pan-Odisha literary organisation. Each of these branches organises a poetry recitation session every month. Besides, local men and women of letters also celebrate quintessential Odia cultural festivals, including the birth and death anniversaries of the giants of Odia literature and organise discussions on their work. Most of the branches also bring about their annual number along with a full published ‘Indradhanu’ page in Sambad to commemorate their annual congregation.
KMBB Group of Institutions
- KMBB Engineering College, Khurdha offers various B. Tech courses while KMBB +2 Science College, Naranpur, Cuttack has been achieving exemplary results in every academic session.
- KMBB School of Nursing has been augmenting government efforts to train more nursing personnel to cater to the rapidly growing health infrastructure in the state.
- KMBB Engineering College, Khurdha offers various B. Tech courses while KMBB +2 Science College, Naranpur, Cuttack has been achieving exemplary results in every academic session.
Eastern Media Entertainment brings about various programs in the field:-
- Eastern Media Entertainment, a subsidiary of Eastern Media Limited, produces high quality Odia films, besides managing a host of Jatra groups. It also runs Manjari TV, a popular entertainment channel.
- Another offshoot of the Eastern Media Entertainment is Radio Chocklate 104 FM, the first private FM radio station that caters to listeners in a number of cities across the state.
AAMA GHARA HAALCHAL
ଅପରାଜିତାଙ୍କ ଅଡୁଆ ପ୍ରଶ୍ନ
ଦୀର୍ଘଦିନର ବ୍ଯବଧାନ ପରେ ଏହି ସ୍ତମ୍ଭକୁ ଫେରିବା ପାଇଁ ଚିନ୍ତା କଲାବେଳେ ପ୍ରସଙ୍ଗ ନିର୍ବାଚନର ସମସ୍ୟାକୁ ନେଇ ଯେଉଁ ଦ୍ଵନ୍ଦ ଥିଲା ତାହାକୁ ବିଜେପି ସାଂସଦ ଅପରାଜିତା ଷଡଙ୍ଗୀ ସହଜରେ ସମାଧାନ କରିଦେଲେ .............
ମହାମହିମ ରାଜ୍ୟପାଳ
ଦୀର୍ଘଦିନର ବ୍ଯବଧାନ ପରେ ଏହି ସ୍ତମ୍ଭକୁ ଫେରୁଛି , ବିଗତ ଦିନମାନଙ୍କରେ ଅନେକ ପାଠକ ବନ୍ଧୁ ଏହି ସ୍ତମ୍ଭକୁ ନିୟମିତ କରିବାପାଇଁ ଅନୁରୋଧ କରି ଟେଲିଫୋନ କରିଛନ୍ତି । ଏବଂ ଚିଠି ମାଧ୍ୟମରେ ଲେଖିଛନ୍ତି , ସେମାନଙ୍କର ଏହି ସମର୍ଥନ ଓ ସଦିଚ୍ଛା ପାଇଁ ଯେତେ କୃତଜ୍ଞତା ପ୍ରକାଶ କଲେ ବି କମ ହେବ ....................
SAMBAD GROUP
SAMBAD GROUP
We are Odisha’s No 1 media house established way back in 1984. We started operations from our Bhubaneswar-based office with a dedicated workforce which survived all odds to make it the numero uno newspaper year after year. Its flagship publication ‘Sambad’ is known for bringing in innovative ideas and new technology in publishing industry. We are the one who introduced dak edition for the first time so as to reach out to mofussil areas in Odisha. This makes us the one to break stereotypes. Besides print, Sambad Group has significant presence in television, FM radio, jatra (theatre), and digital media. We too have organizations involved in voluntary blood donation and popularizing Odia literature.
SAMBAD NEWSPAPER
We are Odisha’s No 1 media house established way back in 1984. We started operations from our Bhubaneswar-based office with a dedicated workforce which survived all odds to make it the numero uno newspaper year after year. Its flagship publication ‘Sambad’ is known for bringing in innovative ideas and new technology in publishing industry. We are the one who introduced dak edition for the first time so as to reach out to mofussil areas in Odisha. This makes us the one to break stereotypes. Besides print, Sambad Group has significant presence in television, FM radio, jatra (theatre), and digital media. We too have organizations involved in voluntary blood donation and popularizing Odia literature.
KANAK NEWS
We are Odisha’s No 1 media house established way back in 1984. We started operations from our Bhubaneswar-based office with a dedicated workforce which survived all odds to make it the numero uno newspaper year after year. Its flagship publication ‘Sambad’ is known for bringing in innovative ideas and new technology in publishing industry. We are the one who introduced dak edition for the first time so as to reach out to mofussil areas in Odisha. This makes us the one to break stereotypes. Besides print, Sambad Group has significant presence in television, FM radio, jatra (theatre), and digital media. We too have organizations involved in voluntary blood donation and popularizing Odia literature.
Political Career
MEMBER OF LOKSABHA
Sri Soumya Ranjan Patnaik earned his maiden electoral victory as he was elected from the Bhubaneswar Loksabha constituency in 1996 on a Congress ticket. General elections were held in India in April–May 1996 to elect the members of the 11th Lok Sabha. The result of the election was a hung parliament, which would see three Prime Ministers in two years and force the country back to the polls in 1998.
MEMBER OF RAJYASABHA
The Rajya Sabha or Council of States is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of India. On joining BJD, he was elected to Rajya sabha in April 2018 and continued as such till May 2019.
MEMBER OF LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY
The Odisha Legislative Assembly is the unicameral state legislature of Odisha state in India. The seat of the Legislative Assembly is at Bhubaneswar, the capital of the state. The Legislative Assembly comprises 147 Members of Legislative Assembly. Sri Patnaik was elected as MLA from Khandapada constituency in Nayagarh district in the year 2019.
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