Pradeep Mahapatra ((Brief Profile / Media)

Dr Mahapatra spent almost a decade as a professional journalist in Odisha editing newspapers and magazines during 1980s. Worked for a feature film, several television documentaries and social marketing media campaigns.

     Dr Mahapatra provided media support for planning and execution of developmental campaigns organised by both non-governmental and governmental agencies in the region for over 25 years. He extended expertise for literacy campaigns organised by Peoples Rural Education Movement (PREM) during 1988-90 and by Bhanja Sakhyarata Parisad, promoted by Ganjam District administration during 1993-96. He designed and produced publicity material for one of the earliest HIV-AIDS campaigns implemented in Odisha state being organised by South Odisha Voluntary Association, Koraput in 1997. His association with PREM enabled him to provide consultation for campaigns such as child birth registration between 2001-05, anti tobacco between 2002-03, micro-health insurance between 2003-05. and vocational training project designed for providing livelihood development skills to 10,000 members of marginalised communities in Ganjam, Gajapati, Kondhamal, Rayagada and Puri District of Odisha being implemented by PREM in association with AXIS Bank Foundation between 2011 - 2016.

     Dr Mahapatra was instrumental in bringing out Gram Vikas Samachar, a development focused house journal in Odia published by Gram Vikas for 12 years between 1998-2011 and Brahmapur Poura Samachar, a house journal published by Berhampur Municipality for 2 years between 1993-95. He was also entrusted for publication of 4 volumes of PREM-PLAN Swasthy Suchana (2007-09), 6 issues of Odisha Adivasi Samachar (2004-05) and several issues of wall newspaper for children Khabara (1998-2000) brought out by PREM.

     His future plans include spread of media literacy encouraging practice of citizen journalism in Odisha State, India. 

Dr Pradeep Mahapatra (Brief Profile / Academic)

Dr Pradeep Mahapatra, holds master’s degrees in English Literature, Communication and Ph.D in Odia Literature. He retired as the Head of the Department of Post Graduate Department of Journalism & Mass Communication, Berhampur University in October 2015.

Dr Mahapatra joined as a regular faculty member at Berhampur University in 1990. He also lectured twice during academic sessions 1979-80 and 1997-98 in journalism classes at the University. He had mentored about 700 post-graduate media students during 27 years of teaching carrier. Two scholars were awarded Ph.D. under his supervision.

Dr Mahapatra’s area of interest and research concentrate on Journalism in Odia, a language spoken by over 400,00,000 people in eastern India, which is recognised as a classical language by Government of India. His Ph.D. thesis chronicles the birth and growth of Odia journalism. It is published by Berhampur University as a book.

Dr Mahapatra taught subjects such as print media editing, radio communication, internet journalism, media laws and ethics, mass-communication research, international and inter-cultural communication over the years in his teaching career.

He has authored one book in English, 2 books in Odia, co-authored 3 books on development studies and edited 3 books in Odia language and culture apart from 8 books in regional heritage, all in Odia. His column Berhampur Diary appeared in local daily and weekly newspapers during past three decades between 1982 and 2013, is being published as a blog. ‘Historical Foundations of Berhampur City’ a book of 400 pages in Odia edited by him was published in 1994.