Prof. Chintamani Mahapatra

Father of modern journalism in Orissa Prof. Chintamani Mohapatra was born on 5th August1930 at  Bhawanipatana , Khalahandi district. His father Late Pandit Kashinath Mohapatra was a land lord of Tiljori in Khalahandi district and his mother Ratanamani Devi was a house wife.

Education 

Mr. Mohapatra  passed his matriculation from Brajmohan high school at Bhawanipatana in 1946 and completed  his I.A from Khalikote college , Berhampur in 1948.He  completed  his B.A(Hons) from Ravenshaw college , Cuttack in 1952 and M.A in Economics from Lucknow University UP on 1952. He also passed Russian language in 1951.

Career

He got training at Free Press Journal ,Bombay in1953 and worked for 8 months there.He worked as Sub Editor, News Editor and as acting Editor an English Daily “Eastern times” Published by Prajatantra Prachar Samiti at Cuttack from 1954 to 1967. He Edited a monthly magazine “Bibarani”in Oriya from  1967 to 1971  and also became the editor of Newspaper “Swarajya” the organ of Swantra  Party at Bhubaneswar from 1968 to 1971. From 1971 to 1974 he worked as Editor in United States Informatin Service at Calcutta. He also took in charge of American Reporter (Oriya).Then he came to Orissa And worked as reader and Head of the Department of Journalism and Mass communication  at Berhampur University from 1974 to 1984.In 1985  he became a Professor  and HOD of the JMC Department at Berhampur University till 1990.He was the member of UPSC since 1984. He had been to Andhra University for one year (1990- 1991)as UGC visiting professor .He became press Advisior to Governor Aruchanal Pradesh for one year (1991-1992). And worked as visiting Professor  at Indian institute of Mass Communication Dhenkal Orissa from 1994 to 2002.
 

Presidentship 

He was the president of  Institute of Mass Media Studies (IMS) 1994-2002, Chairman of journalism Board of Studies at Vanibihar and Chairman of Manav Adhyayan Kendra .

He was the president of Theosophical Lodge and Executive member of Theosophical Federation.

Membership

He was the member of the Common Wealth Association for Education in Journalism in Canada, Asian Mass communication Research and Information Centre Singapore, Indian journalism Education Association Vanarasi, and Indian Council for Communication Training and Research ,Banglore.

He was the president of Orissa Theosophical Federation, president of Orissa Theosophical Order of Service ,National Lecture in Thesophy and lecturer extensively in the state Orissa and outside, president of Hi-Con Trust.

He was awarded as an Eminent Journalist by Utkal Pathak Sansad  on 21.3.99 and awarded as Eminent Journalist by Utkal Sahitya Samaj on 2.8.2002. He was felicitated by Public Relation Society of India Bhubaneswar Chapter outstanding contributions in the field of  Public Relations/ Mass communication on 28.02.1993 by his Excellency the Governor of Orissa.

Translated Books

Prof. Mohapatra translated many books in Oriya. He translated “The Beginning of Sixth Root Race” by Charles Webster Leadbeater In Oriya  the book entitled as “Shashtha Mula Jatira Eke Sundra Pruthibi”, “At the feet of the Master” by Annie Besant and C.W. Leadbeater  in Oriya the book is titled as “Sri Guru Charane”, “ A Tale of Two Cities”by Charles Dickens in Oriya entitled “Duiti Nagareera Kahani” published by Natinal Book trust, “The Seven Priniciple of Man” by H.P. Blavatsky in oriya the book as named “Manushyara Sapata Shareera”, “Life After Death” by Charles Webster in Oriya the book named as “Mrutyu Pare Jiban “

Written books

He wrote many books such as Journalism in Orissa , War Reporting, Novel in Oriya entitled “Adhikar”, Amruta bani in Oiya, Saswata Muruchana (Poems in Oriya), “Brahama bidiya Parichya in Oriya, God Men Superman and Faries  and Helena p. Blavastkynar advut Khani.