‘Name B’ngir MCH after Bhima Bhoi’

The members of the Balangir Nagarik Committee and the Sonepur Sachetan Nagarik Manch were unequivocal on naming the Balangir medical college after poet Bhima Bhoi.

A meeting was held here in this regard on Friday after the Medical Council of India on Thursday gave nod for the first batch admission into the MBBS course from this academic session in the medical college at Balangir.

Manch president Shyama Om Prasad Mishra, who convened the meeting, said it would be befitting if the college was named after the saint poet. Bhima Bhoi remains an inspiration for many through his services to the mankind with his iconic poems that have the messages to serve the humanity.

If the medical college is named after him, it will instil the spirit of selfless service that is most required in a medical institution, he added.

Bhoi had made Subarnapur his home and it is here that he wrote the innumerable poems and also propagated Mahima dharma which he founded. Since Subarnapur had been a part of Balangir district till recently, there should be no problem naming the medical college after the saint poet, he added. Committee president Bhawani Shankar Satapathy threatened to launch agitation if steps are not taken to name the medical college after the poet. Naming the medical college after him will be the best tribute to one of the greatest poets of our soil. If the Government fails to take steps to initiate process for naming the medical college after Bhima Bhoi, people of Balangir and Subarnapur will hit the street, he warned.

Satapathy informed, “We have also decided to launch a postcard campaign to draw the Government's attention.”

Among others, Bishnuprasad Kedia, Kishore Mohan Mishra, Gourishyam Panda, Ambuj Bihari Satpathy, activist Gobinda Maharana, Jitendra Pattnayak and Choudhry Bibhar were present.