Rajat Kar Consigned to Pyre

Bhubaneswar (Reporters Today Bureau): The mortal remains of eminent Odia litterateur Padmashri Rajat Kar was consigned to flames with full state honours at Swargadwar of Puri today. Rajat breathed his last eventing following a cardiac arrest. He was 87. Rajat complained of uneasiness and was rushed to a private hospital by his family members where he was declared dead.

He was conferred with Padmashri in 2021 for his contribution in the field of education and literature. A veteran commentator of Sri Jagannath Ratha Jatra at Jagannath Dham for the last six decades, his contribution for the dying art of Pala in Odisha was immense.

A prolific writer, he was also a motivational speaker, poet, a radio personality and literary critic. He has written seven non-fiction books and several books on Sri Jagannath culture. Besides, he was also well-known for his writings on Upendra Bhanja literature. He was also an efficient administrator and worked for many years in the education department.