Hussain Rabi Gandhi


Hussain Rabi Gandhi is an Indian Odia writer of the late-twentieth century and a politician hailing from the Indian state of Odisha. He served as the general secretary of Biju Janata Dal from upon its formation in 1998 till 2005. In 1994 the title of Biplabi Loka Kabi was conferred upon him by the Mayor of Cuttack. He was also awarded with the title of Utkala Jyoti in 1996 by the then Deputy chief minister of Odisha, Basant Kumar Biswal on the behalf of Freedom Fighter's Organisation. Hussain basically writes in Odia language and was awarded with the Secular India Harmony Award in 1993 by the former President of India, Giani Zail Singh and with the prestigious Gangadhar Meher Kabita award in 2015 for his notable contributions to the field of Odia poetry and secular literature. Hussain served as the President of Odisha Sahitya Akademi.

Early life and education

Hussain was born Chowdhury Mohammad Hussain on 23 April 1948, in MuftiBagh, Haldigadi village of Jajpur District into the Choudhury family of Tarakot. He is the eldest son of Choudhury Mohammed Mozammil Hussain and the grandson of Choudhury Mohammed Dabiruddin, the last Zamindar of Tarakote State. The critically acclaimed film director and author, Mehmood Hussain is his younger brother.
He attended school first at Korai ME school and then at Bargarh George high school. Hussain graduated and finished his master's degree in history from Gangadhar Meher College, Sambalpur. He then did his L.L.B from Lajpat Rai Law college in Sambalpur. As he studied in different parts of Odisha, it gave him the opportunity to learn the different dialects prevalent in different regions of Odisha. He practiced law for a brief period of time in Odisha High Court, Cuttack. He later did his PhD in Odia literature from Utkal University in 1990.
Hussain married Tabassum Amin Sultana, the granddaughter of the notable educationist from Cuttack, Sayeed Mohammed.

Books

Kabya
Hussain has authored 13 anthologies including :
Story
Hussain has also translated the Hindi novel "Rani Laxmi Bai" into Odia which was later published by National book trust of India in the year 2012.

Career

Hussain's political career started as early as in his youth days when he was elected as the President of the Students Union at Gangadhar Meher College. He also served as the President of Students Union at L.R law college at Sambalpur.
During the 1969 historic students strike in Odisha, Hussain was appointed as the chairman of the Western Odisha students action committee and had conducted and participated in various strikes all over Odisha. He was imprisoned several times for the same. Hussain also wrote poems to mobilize the students, which earned him the titles of 'Rabi' and 'Gandhi'.
during the silver jubilee ceremony of Gangadhar Meher University
In 1985 he contested in the state assembly elections from Korai constituency under the Jagrat Odisha party formed by the former chief minister of Odisha, Nandini Satpathy.
In 1987 Vishwanath Pratap Singh, the former Prime Minister of India founded the Jan Morcha, Hussain served as the President of the party's regional youth branch in Odisha.
Under the influence of Biju Patnaik, Hussain joined the undivided Janata Dal in 1988 and was appointed as the General secretary of the party by Pattnaik. In the 1989 General elections he was appointed as the Vice Chairman of the campaign committee of the Janta Dal and finally in 1990, after the massive victory of the party in the state assembly elections, Hussain was appointed as the chairman of Odisha state leather corporation Ltd by Biju Patnaik. During his tenure, he expanded the tannery business and had increased the shoe production by establishing 13 shoe manufacturing units all over Odisha. In December 1997, the Janta Dal was divided and a new political party called the Biju Janata Dal was formed. Hussain was one among the founding members of the party along with Dilip Ray, Bijoy Mohapatra, Prasanna Acharya, Ananga Udaya Singh Deo and Amar Sathpathy. In January 1998 he was appointed as the General Secretary of the Biju Janata Dal by the current chief minister of Odisha, Naveen Patnaik and had served as the party observer for Deogarh and Sambalpur elections.
Hussain Rabigandhi has been active in Odia literary scene too. He has been associated with the movement to revive Revolutionary Humanism in odia poetry. His published works include poetry collection Mukta Purbasha, Loka Geeta and short story collection Ajira Galpa He was appointed as the editor of Utkala Prasnga , a cultural monthly published of Government of Odisha in 2010.
He served as the Vice-President and then President of Odisha Sahitya Akademi from 28 May 2008 to 27 May 2010. During his term the Odisha Sahitya Academy celebrated its Golden Jubilee in 22 districts of Odisha.
He is active in politics as a senior leader/member of the Biju Janata Dal. Hussain is also the co-founder secretary of Maulana Azad Multipurpose College, Cuttack.