Simulia: Ex-Indian Air Force (IAF) employee and social activist of this area Rajendra Kumar Mahapatra of Bana village under Simulia block in Balasore district has been awarded with a pixel mobile phone by Google for posting photographs on Instagram and Facebook and spreading awareness.
“I had never thought what I am doing as a hobby would one day be recognised by Google,” said Rajendra in his reaction after receiving the gift. He has so far posted 1,850 photographs on Instagram and 1,000 on Facebook. Most of them have social messages.
The ex-IAF man’s family comprises of wife and two sons. The older of the two, Rajkamal is a photographer of international repute and stays in Mumbai with his family. His youngest son Nilkamal works in Hyderabad and is settled there with his family.
Both siblings have repeatedly urged Rajendra to go and stay with them, but he has not able to cut his ties off with his roots.
Rajendra is known as a social activist in his locality. Every day he meets people, goes to schools and college to create awareness about various subjects and imbibe into them the values of humanity.
Rajendra’s hobby for posting photos on various social media platforms started when he came in contact with Joseph, the owner of a Mumbai- based photo company. It was Joseph who made Rajendra realise the importance of uploading pictures on the social media. “I am posting at least two photographs a day,” informed Rajendra.
Orissa POST had carried a story on his activities last year.
