Bhubaneswar, June 17: Prolific litterateur and eminent freedom fighter and politician Nityananda Mohapatra entered the 100th year of life today. He was felicitated at his house by the members of the Orissa Sahitya Akademi on the occasion.

Prominent authors like Bibhuti Patnaik, Satakadi Hota, Barendra Krushna Dhal, Jugal Kishore Dutta, Brajanath Rath, Ramachandra Behera (president, Orissa Sahitya Akademi) and culture minister Prafulla Samal gathered at Mohapatra’s residence.

Mohapatra, who is not doing very well in health owing to his age, humbly accepted the bouquets presented by his guests.

“He has been a source of inspiration for us through his writings as well as his life based on strong moral principles,” said Patnaik about the former president of the Orissa Sahitya Akademi.

Behera added, that Mohapatra’s work sought to bring about a reformation in the society by showing the negative impact of superstitions.

A litterateur known for his essays and fictional novels and as the editor of magazine Dagara, Mohapatra had plunged into the freedom struggle as a Gandhian, whose philosophy he has continued to follow till today.