(a) whether the Orissa Government has made any proposal to make short-
length films on the lives of important personalities of Orissa having national
reputation or bringing out books on the lives of those personalities;
(b) if so, whether the Union Government has agreed to the request of the State
Government; and
(c) if so, the status of the proposal?
THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND CULTURE (SHRI S.JAIPAL REDDY)
(a), (b) & (c): Biographical films on late Shri Biju Patnaik, Chief Minister of
Orissa and Mahamohapadhyay Samanta Chandrashekar, popularly known
as Pathani Samanta are being produced by Films Division, Ministry of I&B. A
biographical film on late Shri Akshaya Mohanty, the music legend of Orissa, is
also being produced after a request for the same was received from the State
Government. Films Division has also produced biographical films on eminent
personalities of Orissa like Binode Kanungo, Rajendra Singhdeo, Karmaaveer
Gouri Shankar Roy, Padmabhushan Dr. Radhanath Rath, Gurugomkay
Raghunath Murmu and Ramadevi.
Publications Division, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, has
published a book on `Dr. Hare Krushna Mahatab` written by Shri M.N.Das and
Shri C.P.Nanda under the Builders of Modern India (BMI) Series. The books on
`Jayee Rajguru` by Shri Bijoy Chandra Rath and `Jaydev`, the famous Sanskrit
poet & author of Geetgovinda by Shri A.K.Tripathy & Shri P.C.Tripathy are also
under process.