Puri: Rajat Kar cremated with full State honours

Puri: Eminent writer and Padma Shri awardee Dr Rajat Kumar Kar, who passed away at a private hospital in Bhubaneswar on Sunday following a cardiac arrest, was cremated with full State honours at Swargadwar Puri on Monday.

Kar was accorded a guard of honour at Swargadwar by the Puri district administration. His son Ranjib kar performed the last rites.

Odisha Law Minister Pratap Jena, Administrator Pradip Kumar Sahu, Executive Officer Puri Municipality Saroj kumar Swain, and Puri Sub-Collector Bhaba Tarana Sahoo paid their last respects to Kar, among others.

A prolific writer, Kar was known for his contribution to Upendra Bhanja literature. He wrote around seven non-fiction books and several books on Jagannath culture. Kar was conferred Padma Shri for his contribution to literature and education in 2021. He was also a popular commentator on radio and TV channels during the Rath Yatra in Puri. He holds the record of being the longest and oldest commentator of the Rath Yatra for 62 years.