The auspicious day of Raksha Bandhan August 28, 2026 will also mark the tenth Shraddha Barshiki of Shri Govind Tej, a veritable legend of Odia cinema.
In this intervening decade, his towering presence is deeply missed as Odisha lost one of the truest artists it ever produced. And yet, it feels as if he has only just stepped out to create another cinematic masterpiece. I vividly remember, as a kid of maybe Class VI or VII, getting very emotional, sitting in a cinema hall in Bhubaneswar and watching Krushna Sudama, especially when the soul-touching song “Kahare kiye se……” reverberated across the packed hall! Little did I know then that one day this legend would be my father in-law! Indeed, looking back, when I came into the Tej family, I did not simply gain a father-in-law — I gained a teacher of quiet dignity, a man whose entire life was a lesson in devotion to one’s craft and one’s people. This is my humble attempt to put into words what Govind Tej meant — not just to Odia cinema and culture, but to those of us who were fortunate enough to call him family.
A life dedicated to the screen
Govind Tej’s cinematic journey began in 1954, with the film Kedar Gouri — a modest beginning for a man who would go on to devote more than five decades shaping Odia cinema with his presence. Over the years that followed, he came to be known widely as a versatile actor through films like Dharitri, Mana Akasha, Nagaphasa, Suna Sansara, Bandhu Mohanty, Krushna Sudama, Gouri, Tunda Baida and Schoolmaster. There was a sincerity in the way he essayed a role — nothing overstated, nothing borrowed.
In 1977, that sincerity was recognised when he received the Odisha State Film Award for Best Actor for Bandhu Mohanty. But acting, while leveraging his undeniable creativity, could not circumscribe his multifaceted talent and persona. In 1979, he stepped behind the camera, as a director for the first time, with Ramayana, wherein a second chapter of his creative life began.
He went on to direct Kaberi, Schoolmaster, Tunda Baida, and Gare Sindura Dhare Luha — and for four of these, he was honoured with the State Film Award for Best Director. Krushna Sudama remains his sole home production under the banner New Life Production. This film is still venerated fondly by those who grew up watching Odia cinema in that era. I cannot forget a curiously memorable incident when a very senior officer rushed to bend low and touch his feet when he entered the room exclaiming emotionally that “sakshat” Sudama, the divine devotee sans parallel has entered his room!
In 1986, Odisha recognised the contributions of Shri Govind Tej by bestowing upon him its highest cinematic honour — the Jaydev Award — acknowledging a lifetime devoted to the growth of Odia films. The award sits modestly on a shelf in his home, the way most of his achievements did on his persona. Intrinsically deriving pride from his work, he wasn’t a man who needed any trophy as the work itself had always been his reward.
The man behind the cinematic persona
Behind the popular cinematic persona, Shri Govind Tej was discipline, gentleness and quiet strength of character personified. He carried his decades of achievement lightly, almost as if he were embarrassed by the fuss others made over it. But what he pursued with great vigour was championing Odia culture, Odia language and the stories of this soil. He believed cinema was not merely entertainment but a socio-cultural responsibility — a way of holding a mirror to society and, occasionally of gently correcting its course. That belief showed in the roles he chose and the films he made.
A decade on
Ten years is a long time and yet the affection Odisha continues to hold for Govind Tej has not dimmed. Every so often, someone recognises the name, recalls a film, hums a line from any of the numerous hit songs from his movies and becomes deeply nostalgic. In those small and spontaneous moments, he lives again as an integral part of Odia life and ethos. For our family, his absence remains a dull ache beneath the ordinary business of living. In my poem, written in the days after we lost him, I expressed these sentiments:
“What is it when fathers are gone…
their sudden void crushes the soul,
Like unforgiving waves the pain bludgeons one’s being
Like an immortal roof of your life’s cocooning shelter
Is riven asunder….destroying your core”.
The above sentiments still pervade the entire family’s soul. But grief, over ten years, has softened into something closer to gratitude — gratitude for his guardianship… that we had his company, that we watched him work, that we saw first-hand how a man could give his whole self to his art without ever losing his humility or his warmth. This tribute is a small endeavour against the scale of the integrity of reputation that Govind Tej built over a lifetime. Yet it emanates straight from the heart, on behalf of a family that continues to be proud to carry his name forward, and a State that continues to owe him a debt of gratitude for the stories he gave it.
Rest well, Baba. We treasure the memories you gave us. Odia cinema and culture and Odisha remember you and always will.
The writer is a retired IPS officer & former DG (NDRF & NCB).
