By Aditya Nayak

Bhubaneswar: Odia people have forgotten how to smile, said eminent litterateur Jaganath Prasad Das.

“The element of humour is missing in Odia life and literature,” Das said on Saturday while speaking at the Sikhyasandhaan, an education resource centre in Bhubaneswar.

Das was giving a talk on ‘Humour in Odia Literature’.

Veteran literary person like Jatindra Nayak, Bikram Das, Basant Panda, Asim Ranjan Padhi, Gourahari Das, Anil Pradhan and Sangram Jena participated in an animated discussion that followed Das’ talk.

Members of the audience sought to identify the factors responsible for the absence of humour in Odia life and literature.