post news network, Bhubaneswar, May 10: “Writing stories for children need lots of creativity. While writing for children, we have to think like a child; in others words, we have to be like a child, then only our writing would become interesting for the children. Today children don’t do things which we used to do when we were children, so we will have to think as the present-day kids would think and then write; only then they would love to read our stories,” noted short story writer Jitendra Narayan Dash also known as Dash Benhur, who was the special guest of the 14th state-level literary meet of authors writing for the children, said.
The literary meet was organised by ‘Saragasashi’, a children’s magazine at the Soochana Bhawan here Saturday. Several eminent writers for children attended the programme and some were felicitated.
Writer Bansidhar Khuntia was given the Snehasudha Shishu Sahitya Samman, Anusuya Mishra the Saragasashi Vigyanlekha Samman, Rajkishore Panigrahi the Somnath Tripathy Memorial Award, Pitambar Dash the Saragasashi poetry award, Golak Bihari Nayak the Saragasashi Children Literature Award, Dilip Tripathy the Saragasashi Shishu Sahitya Sarathi Award, Jogendra Bari the Saragasashi Saraswata Samman.
Panchayati Raj minister Arun Kumar Sahoo, who attended the program as chief guest said, “Many writers are there who have failed to get the recognition which they deserve, we should encourage them and try to bring them to the limelight. Oriya literature has given us many eminent children’s story writers, some of whom have got appreciation at the national and the international level. I think more literary magazines, especially for the children, need to come up where plays and stories of Oriya writers be included and that would help children to know more about the Oriya culture.”
Hrishikesh Tripathy former commissioner for sports and youth affairs, said, “Literature played an important role in the development of language. Children’s literature should be interesting, educating and should help them to be imaginative and creative. Children need proper education, which would help them prepare for the world outside. Those children, who are interested to write, should be encouraged and their write ups should be included in the literary magazines too.”
Later, in a poem recitation session around 100 Oriya poets from across the state participated and recited their poems.
