Most of us are uncomfortable on the
presence of a lawyer around us. It is not only for the black coat that he or
she wears, but these set of professionals are of remorseless species. Their
nature of job makes them cunning. Though they fight for the justice, yet in
personal life they unable to do justice to their family members. Their nature
of job is so dull and dumb that makes them such spineless creatures. Seldom
there is any creativity or charm in their work. Yet there are a chosen few exceptions
to this set of professionals.
When you meet Rita Satpathy a human rights and family court lawyer practising at the High Court of Cuttack, Odisha you would love to get in touch with her to discover how charming our life could be even while we are entangled in our sluggish daily work.
When you meet Rita Satpathy a human rights and family court lawyer practising at the High Court of Cuttack, Odisha you would love to get in touch with her to discover how charming our life could be even while we are entangled in our sluggish daily work.
Rita was born in the year 1959 at Sambalpur. She is
the daughter of Late Sashibhushan Satpathy the renowned judge
of Odisha. Being a daughter she was very close to his father and even followed
his footsteps to opt law as her profession. She was brought up in Pension Pada
of Sambalpur. During the Hindu Muslim riots of 1964 her father played a pivotal
role in doing fast court settlements. Her father was the founding member of
Lala Lajpat Rai Law College of Sambalpur. He has even donated 30 decimal of his
own land to the law college, where today the new tower of the college is
standing. The other two promoters of this college were Late Manbanjan Bohidar
and Late Sradhakar Supkar.
Rita studied from nursery to Class 5th at Brookshill School of
Sambalpur. On passing out her primary school she joined Lady Lewis Girls High
School located at Kunjel Pada. It’s an heritage school of Odisha that was built
by the Britshers in the year 1947 itself.
In 1976 Rita joined BA at Govt. Women’s College. Afterwards she did her MA in Oriya at Sambalpur
University. Her subject was “A literary criticism between Radhanath Ray and
Wordsworth”. Radhanath was an Oriya poet
known across Odisha for his poetic works like “Chilika”, whereas Wordsworth was
a Nineteenth Century British poet known across the globe. His famous poetic
works were Julius Czar; Hamlet; London; Prelude; Daffodils; We are seven; Ode
to Duty; The Solitary Reaper; The Intimations of Immortality and so on.
Rita got a soft corner in her heart for
the destitute
and the deprived people. Early in life she had shown the signs of
being an angel for the destitute. While she was a student in school when her
mother would serve her roti(whole wheat Indian bread), that girl use to hide
one piece and give that hidden piece to either a beggar or to the street dogs. While
doing so once she was caught red handed and her mother told her to partake her
share of rotis and in case she wants to feed someone else, than to ask for extra
pieces. Her mother was the role model in her life. She was the one who inspired
Rita to work for the society.
In India every male person earns money
so as to support just his family. But Rita Satpathy since herself is a working
lady thinks, after meeting the basic needs of the family members the surplus
amount should be used for the needy people of the society. In the year 2007 she
setup Jaymala Socio Cultural Trust. The basic objective of this trust is to
look after the welfare of the poor peoples of Sambalpur and Cuttack. They are
providing free education to the deprived children of slum dwellers. That apart
they are taking care of old age people by providing daily food and weekly
medication facilities.
When she was staying at Mangalabag, Cuttack one night while searching for
her two girls reached her home. They cried and said they have fled from one religious
ashram at Cuttack, because they were being physically exploited. Rita consoled
them by serving dinner and giving shelter for a night. Next morning she took
those two girls to the police station to lodge a complaint. Afterwards those
two girls were relocated to a different place.
Almost twenty years back yet another incident had
happened. As usual one evening she hired a rickshaw to return home from the
High Court. On the way while the man was pulling the rickshaw he started
expressing his sorrow. He said his wife is under the attack of tuberculosis(TB).
But he unable to impart the right diagnosis, because of the high cost of medicines.
From there she asked the rickshaw puller to take her to his house. On reaching
their hut, Rita met the sick lady who was lean and thin and was bed ridden.
Over there she met their two daughters. In a couple of weeks the lady expired.
The rickshaw puller unable to cope with the situation and took shelter of the
alcohol. Finally he either fled or went missing. Rita take possession of those
two girls and admitted them in Basundhara Ashram. The good news was that after
a couple of years one American couple visited this shelter at Bhubaneswar and
they adopted the elder girl by the name Sujata. Now Sujata turn to be an adult
and married and happily settled in England(UK). It is just one act of
benevolence by Rita Satpathy which rehabilitated many lives.
Rita firmly believes whatever she is today is the
mere grace of her loving God Shiridi Sai Baba. She had gone through many
upheavals of the life. In the year 2003 soon after the gruha pratistha her husband
fell terminally sick. He had a heart ailment called arrhythmia. Because of the
disease entire family was disturbed. One night when her husband waked up from
the sleep and narrated a miracle that
had happened. He said from the frame of Shiridi Sai Baba photo there came a ray
and covered his body from tip to toe of his body. On getting to know about this
miracle Rita got relieved thinking there is nothing to worry about her husband
and Shiridi Sai Baba will take care of him. Subsequently her husband recovered
his heath after taking proper medical treatment.
During the devastating super cyclone Phailin that struck the coast of Odisha in
October 2013 as many as 45 lives were perished despite minute preparation to
confront the situation due to advancement in the technology to monitor the
weather. But that cyclone destroyed public infrastructure, civil properties and
paddy crops to the tune of a hoofing $655 million USD. Soon after the
Phailin Rita Satpathy along with the volunteers of Jaymala organistion reached Aktiarpur
a remote village on the sea coast of Baleswar district.
That apart every year in its annual
function Jaya Mala social cultural trust felicitated people of Odisha whosoever
has contributed in their own field to build a stronger and vibrant Odisha. They
are very particular while scrutinizing the right candidates to be felicitated
with the Sunakhadika sanmman.
 |
| [While singing along with Hollywood play back singer Akshaya Mohanty】 |
Rita is a professional singer of Oriya
songs. She delves her mind in to music, so as to put some charm in the dull and
dumb profession that she has undertaken in life. Until now Jaymala has traced
many persons from Oliwood film industry and felicitated them.
 |
| Nuakhai Bhetghat Samman at Barpali given by Bijepur MLA Rita Sahu |
Until now across Odisha she has been felicitated by
twenty-two different organisations for the humanitarian activities she is
carrying. In the year 2018 itself Life Line, Barpali felicitated her with
Nuakhai Sanman. Earlier to this she has been felicitated with Bharat Gaurav
Sanman in a grand function organised at Hotel Kalinga Ashoka, Bhubaneswar. The
Chief Guest in that fuction was Prasanna Kumar Patasani a multifaceted personality of Odisha known
for being a philosopher, Oriya poet and lawyer.
C/o. Dr.E.R.Rao (M.D)
Main Road
At/PO : Barpali-768029
Dist. Bargarh, Odisha, India
Main Road
At/PO : Barpali-768029
Dist. Bargarh, Odisha, India
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