Eminent Odia litterateur Hussain Rabi Gandhi, 75, passes away

By Aajaya Kumar Das

Cuttack, Jan. 28: Eminent Odia litterateur Hussain Rabi Gandhi passed away on Saturday afternoon while undergoing treatment at the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.

He was 75.

“Hussain Rabi Gandhi was undergoing treatment here for multiple ailments. Despite the best efforts of the doctors, we could not save his life,” Dr Bhubanananda Moharana, emergency officer of SCB Medical College and Hospital, said.

Gandhi was the president of Odisha Sahitya Akademi from 2008 to 2010.

Born on April 23, 1948 in Jajpur district, Gandhi served as the general secretary of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) from its formation in 1998 to 2005.

He was awarded with the Secular India Harmony Award in 1993 by former president Giani Zail Singh and with the Gangadhar Meher Kabita Award in 2015 for his notable contributions to the field of Odia poetry.

Besides authoring as many as 13 anthologies, Gandhi also translated the Hindi novel ‘Rani Laxmi Bai’ into Odia.

The eminent writer also practiced law for a brief period in the High Court of Orissa.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik condoled the demise of Gandhi.

In a message, the Chief Minister said that Gandhi was a veteran leader long associated with Biju Babu and later with Biju Janata Dal. He has contributed immensely in strengthening the Biju Janata Dal and promoted the values of Biju Babu and BJD, said Patnaik.

Followers of Gandhi offered their condolences on social media platforms.