ITANAGAR, 10 Oct: The Arunachal Pradesh Literary Society (APLS), led by its President Yeshe Dorjee Thongchi, felicitated its founder member and the state’s pioneer journalist, Pradeep Kumar Behera, in a function at the Arunachal Press Club (APC) here on Thursday before his departure to his native state Odisha, following his retirement.
The APLS was set up in 2006 by a group of literature enthusiasts, with Thongchi, Mamang Dai and Behera as its president, general secretary and publicity secretary, respectively, with the motto ‘Start Writing, Keep Writing’, which spread a wave across the state for the growth of literary activities.
Reading out the citation, Thongchi said, “Behera came here in 1983 to serve at the Donyi-Polo Vidya Bhavan and launched the weekly Echo of Arunachal on 20.02.88, when there was no newspaper in this remote state. He also served as the editor of The Arunachal Times, Arunachal Front and Arunachal Observer, besides as a stringer for the UNI, PTI and ANI, and also wrote for magazines and periodicals as a columnist to become a god-fatherly figure to motivate and guide young scribes.”
Behera was instrumental in activating the APC, and served as its president for two terms, and was also the chief adviser to the APC and the Arunachal Pradesh Union of Working Journalists, besides being the chief adviser to the Arunachal Chamber of Commerce & Industries.
“His motivation, particularly in creative writing and composing poems in various languages on the spot, had popularised the APLS across the state and inspired young writers, thereby facilitating the growth of literature and journalism in the state,” Thongchi said, before lauding Behera’s wife, Kalpalata Behera, for supporting him.
“‘Aadmi musafir hai, aata hai jaata hai; Aate jaate raste me yaadein chhod jaata hai (Man being mortal, gets born and die, but leaves behind memories)’,” which sometimesis not possible for others to emulate,” said the state’s first chief minister Prem Khandu Thungon after felicitating Behera to the thunderous applause of the gathering, including APLS members and scribes.
“Behera is a glittering example of the adage, ‘As you sow, so shall you reap’, as during those tough days, without any facilities in the state, he dared to face all challenges while endearing himself to all Arunachal communities, for which the Arunachalees made him what he is today,”Thungon said.
ICR DC Talo Potom said that Behera was instrumental in the formation of the Tani Jagriti Foundation for protecting and promoting Donyi-Poloism “as he had approached me in writing during the 1992 Donyi Polo Day celebration.”
“Behera has been a multilingual spot-poet but served a beacon to invigorate others by his thought-provoking creative writings which will continue to inspire all in the state,” said former APLS general secretary Tokong Pertin.
Terming Behera a legend, APC Vice President Bengia Ajum recalled that Behera, along with late Ravindran and late Taro Chatung, by their services had turned the harsh situation favourable for journalism.
Informing about her write-up on yeti, which was published in Echo of Arunachal, Mamang Dai recalled that Behera had met her and persuaded her to return to the state. “When I first served for Sentinel and then Hindustan Times, Telegraph and The Arunachal Times, Behera was the only non-local journalist in the state to give a new turn to the profession,” she said.
DNGC Principal Dr MQ Khan, IP Secretary Nyali Ete, IPR Director Onyok Pertin, and APLS AGS Dr Pekba Ringu also spoke on the occasion.
APLS general secretary Mukul Pathak, while describing Behera as “unstoppable,” said that he dedicated 41 years to the state through journalism, the APLS and other NGOs, “which will always be remembered.”
Behera recalled a few reports from the past, like the JK Rifles’ Havildar Shere Thapa killing 175 PLA jawans in Tama Chug Chung sector of Upper Subansiri district, and defined the media as ‘mein diya’. He urged mediapersons to “project Arunachal, or ‘Nilalaya’, in the right perspective, particularly the Tawang monastery, Bhismak Nagar, Malinithan, especially Dewakota shrine, where Guru Rimpoche, the 2nd Buddha, has hidden many sacred treasures.
“The shrine, 40 kms from Tuting in Upper Siang district,remains submerged under the Nyigong river. This would woo religions tourists to tap the state’s vast tourism potential,” he said.
He termed Thongchi “a living Buddha who won the Sahitya Akademi Award-2005 for his Assamese novel Mauna Outh Mukhar Hriday (Silent Lips, Murmuring Heart) and was conferred with the Padma Shri in 2020 for his work in the field of literature and education.
Behera said that he might go away physically but his soul would remain in Arunachal, and expressed his wish to be born in Arunachal in his next life.
He recited a self-composed poem at the conclusion.
