I was born in the Solpata district of Jajpur in the year 1952. My father was a freedom fighter and a lawyer in Solpat village of Mangalpur of Jajpur District. I have three brothers. I came to Bhubaneswar to get education in 1972.

I stayed with my Mausa who was working in Language training centre  which was known as Mukhya Sebika Talim Kendra as deputy director. This was located at LaxmiNagar. Later, as his Mausa got transferred to Gopalpur, I went on to complete my schooling in Chandbali by staying with my maternal aunt. I completed my college from Bhadrak College and then MSc from Burla Engineering College.

My  eldest son is doing computer business and youngest is in Vikash  Medical in Bargarh. Now I stay with my eldest son in Jharapada.

I came to Bhubaneswar in 1972 and started setting an animal feed farm near Ganesh Mandap Chhaka of Jharpada. I prepared the animal feed under the brand Chaka Marka feed. It continued upto 1999. It got damaged in cyclone and was never recovered. Later it was shifted of Mancheswar . but after 2009 it was completely stopped. Since 2009,I am  no more engaged.

By 1973 only few roads existed. Kalapana square was main chhaka. Master Canteen existed. Old Town was also a shopping hub but Rajmahal was not developed. People were travelling through train. Puri, Cuttack, Khurdha, Jajpur Road, Bhadrak and Baleswar were major stain stoppage. By 1973, Bajaj Scooter has already arrived. By 1990 Tempo etc came to areas.  By 1975, Cars started appearing on roads. Mahindra jeep and ambassador cars were very popular. I had one Vijaya car, then I brought one second hand ambassador. The petrol cost Rs 3.46 per liter and rate of diesel cost less than Rs 2.0 rupees per litre. Cement was sold  Rs7 to Rs 8 rupees per bag. Patato and Onion were largely sold less than a rupee per kg. Fishes sold less than 5 per Kg.

There was a Bibidha Banija Pratishtan in Kalpana Square. Unit-1 Hat started to be organised in Bhubaneswar around 1973. We used to go to Cuttack for marketing. I also went to Dhauli couple of times. There was no road like that of todays’ to Dhauli and Khandagiri. Jagar was very popular in Lingaraj temple. Ashokastami was also largely organised. People used to come to see it by walking.

There were two hospitals in Bhubaneswar. One is in unit 6 and another was in Unit 6. We did not have dispensary or private clinic was not there. Doctors used to sit in medicine shops and used to charge Rs 10 to 20 rupees as consultation charges. There was no large scale fracas between people. It was largely peaceful. Population was less than 1lakh then.

In 1962 only few-school existed. Capital High school and no other school existed. Around 50 to 60 students were seen in one class and women contributed for 10% of the total enrollment in a class room. There was one gurudwara, Mandir, and church in Bhubaneswar. A mosque also existed.

There was no large industries in Bhubaneswar. One Ram Pattnaik iron Kadei factory existed in Bomikhala. Around Rasulgarh few small industries existed. They were into making Iron grill and other household articles made up of Iron. Mancheswar Industrial unit started in 1980.

Raw materials were not available in Odisha. We even brought raw materials from outside Odisha. In 1979 , a three bhk costed us 350 per month as rent. In 1975 the BDA colony started and people put them under rent the rent was Rs 50 per month.

To talk about news paper, Illustrated weekly, Samaj, Prajatantra were major news papers then. I used to subscribe Statesman and AmritBazzar Patrika. The news paper cost less than Rs1 per day.

Most of the people were into Govt jobs and few others supported them with different services. The working class brought rice and vegetables from the villages.

The average salary of the employees was less than Rs 500/per month. Few officers got Rs 1000 and were also given Govt Vehicles. The unskiiled labours were paid Rs 4.00 to Rs 5.00 per day. Semi skilled labourers were paid Rs 7.00 to Rs 8.00 rupees. The labourers were brought from Berhampur and keonjhar and other coastal district. Bhubaneswar people never migrated. Laxmi Sagar and Jharapada were having good fertile land. Vegetables were also cultivated.

Vegetable was never sold in shops. It was sold by people who carried over their head or cycle. After 1975 it was started to be sold in shops. There was on capital thana which covered entire Bhubaneswar it was having one Jeep. There was no second thana. Jail was still being constructed by 1962.

Till 1970, there was no traffic police system in Bhubanswar. After 1970 traffic police started guarding the posts and illumination was done. There existed two halls in Bhubaneswar. One is at Kalapana and Ravi talkies. Swati-Stutee-Shriya Complex came after 1975. The first class ticket costed Rs 2.45 paisa.

Getting a Job was also stressful. Govt job was only job available then. In 1975 private sector opened and jobs generated. Hotel Pushpak was very popular in those days for its food. Small road side dhaba and eateries started to appear in 1980. Fruit Market was not there in Bhubaneswar by 1962. It was brought from Cuttack Malgodown. There was no city on the other side of Jayadev Vihar. Even though road existed towards Nandankanan was almost a forest land.

Koradakanta areas used to see floods after heavy rainfall. But people were not carving for relief those days.