Bikash
Choudhury
Raju Naik National Foundation organized a “Sradhanjali” for
a teacher of eminence and Gandhian by choice Dr. Benudhar Pradhan on 4th February 2013 at Bharat
Scouts and Guides conference hall in the evening. Dr. Pradhan, former Professor
of Political Science in Utkal Univesity passed away on 25th January 2013 at his eldest son’s
residence at Benaras. In recent times, we rarely see such a passionate
congregation to offer Sradhanjali for a teacher where his students, co-workers,
peers, friends, family and admirers vie to speak a few words for the departed
soul. Prof. Pradhan touched many human lives, established a chord and altered their
Ideas about life and living in a very substantive manner for which he would be
remembered always. Undoubtedly, he was a unique teacher on many counts than
one. He had seer depth of knowledge in his domain and accumulated incites drawn
out of extensive research done on political thoughts of Nehru and Gandhi. Apart
from his knowledge, he was known in the campus of Vani Vihar of Utkal
University for his simple and down
to earth Gandhian lifestyle. He was the cynosure of the city for his early
morning walk on bare foot to Bayababa Matha a good 2.5 Km from his residence in
Vani Vihar. He kept his schedule unaltered until he moved out of Vani Vihar
soon after his retirement. He had a dream, vision and plan for Utkal University
and its campus Vani Vihar in lines of ancient university of “Nalanda” which he
wrote about many times in Odiya Daily “The Samaj” and that remained
unacknowledged and largely ignored by the authorities of the time who were too
well known to him and apparently, therefore never consider him for the position
of Vice-Chancellor; otherwise, Utkal University would have been in a different
avatar much different from, as we see it today. He was an ace academician and highly
competent educational administrator with profound knowledge on Gandhian
Economic Model; which remain largely unexplored owing to the politics or lack
of it in his times. He never approached any body for any personal favors though
many in the power structure of his time would have been obliged to do so. In
the fag end of his life, he tried his best to give shape to a plan for a Rural
University and a Hospital at
Kendrapada which remain till now on paper. A Rural University on Gandhian
Economic Model could be a game changer not only for the coastal district of
Odisha but all across the World as Global slow down stares all of us on the
face which is due to less than perfect allocation of resources which has widened
the gap between rich and poor, haves and have nots’ and educated &
illiterate and crooks and straight. Prof. Pradhan may have passed away as an
unsung hero (he may not have liked any other way) but, his life and work
would continue to inspire and drive a large humanity as Jesus Christ, Aristotle
and Leonard Davinci were feted after their lives; that would remain an
unexplained and incomprehensible paradox for times to come.
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