Kataka: Former Director of National Academy of Broadcasting and Multimedia (NABM) and convener Cuttack Heritage Walks (CHW) Dipak Samantrai breathed his last at his parental house on Rovers’ Street here following a prolonged illness. He was 69.
A distinguished author, poet and a well-known heritage enthusiast, Samantrai is survived by his wife and a daughter. Born on July 22, 1957, Samantrai was a distinguished broadcaster with national awards and recognition from Prasar Bharati on several occasions and have got Best Trainer Award on two occasions from the All India Radio.
As an author, Samantrai has authored three anthologies of poetry in Odia including one Odia translation of selected poems of eminent bilingual poet of India Jayanta Mahapatra and three books of prose including motivational essays. He was also a good photographer with a solo exhibition of photographs, which was organised at several locations across Odisha during 1990-91. A distinguished academician, Samantrai, a PhD holder from Berhampur University in radio programme production, he was also on the board of studies of several universities and institutions across the nation and visiting faculty in Journalism and Mass Communication studies.
He was also leading the Cuttack Chapter of INTACH. His another distinct identity was his closeness to another stalwart of Indian English poetry Jayanta Mahapatra, a native of the Millennium City.
After the success of Ekamra Walks in Bhubaneswar during 2016 by the city authorities, the first heritage walks to go live was Barabati Beckons under Cuttack Heritage Walks (CHW) fully supported by community leadership and its leader was Samantrai.
Under his leadership CHW got many new ideas to explore and from the judiciary to fort, maritime history, churches to museums, libraries to Durga Puja traditions to filigree to Dahibara-Aloodum, temples to Alma Mater, Cuttack ‘s heritage got a new lease of life under his leadership.
As wished by Samantrai, his family members donated his body to the Anatomy Department of the oldest medical institution of Odisha SCB Medical College and Hospital. The body will be used by the medical students for their studies and research purpose.
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