Here I would like to draw the attention of the readers to a single photograph that was published in 1976 and had a manifold impact. This photograph was taken by me while I was standing near Chhaya Chhabi Studion which was owned by famous cine star Akashya Mohanty in the Swosti Hotel Building. I came across an overcrowded town bus passing on the road ans as there was no vacancy in the bus. girl students were trying their entry through the window near the driver’s seat, causing a very unpleasant sight. .Prompted me to take a snap and it was published in the front page of Hindudtha Standard. My sole intention was to draw the attention of the public to the plight to girl students in the capital city.
Interestingly this photograph drew the attention of the then Chief Minister Nandini Satpathy who was very sympathetic towards the cause of ladies. Without hesitation, she immediately provided funds for the purchase of two buses for the students of Rama Devi Women’s College which was the only women’s college in Bhubaneswar. Such action of Mrs Satoathy was praiseworthy as it provided relief to students of Rama Devi Women’s College to travel.
The matter does not end here. This photograph also inspired Young Congress leader Dhiren Patnaik to establish a second women’s college in the private sector to provide facilities for women students While clicking the photograph, I had never thought that it would have so much effect in the minds of the only woman chief minister of Odisha or that it would prompt my young Congress friend and ardent social activist Dhiren Patnaik to take a vow to establish a second women’s college to facilitate higher education for women students of the Capital City.
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