Bibhuti Bhusan Mohanty

Bibhuti Bhusan Mohanty (25 March 1931 – 22 November 2014) was an Indian educationist, development communication specialist and international consultant known for his contributions to adult literacy, rural communication and development education programmes in India and abroad.

He served as founder-director of the State Resource Centre for Adult Education at Angul and worked in the fields of functional literacy and development communication for several decades.

Early life

Professor Mohanty was born on 25 March 1931 in Kesole village in Kendrapara district of Odisha. He completed his early education in Odisha and later pursued professional training in communication and development education.

Career

Professor Mohanty was associated with literacy and adult education programmes since the 1950s and worked extensively in development communication.

He served as founder-director of the State Resource Centre for Adult Education at Angul between 1978 and 1984. During this period he promoted literacy initiatives and training programmes aimed at improving education among rural communities.

Mohanty also served as professor and head of the Department of Audio-Visual Communication at the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) and later played a role in the development of its Dhenkanal campus.

He worked internationally as a consultant and resource person in adult education and development communication programmes in several countries.

Publications

Mohanty authored books and articles related to literacy, rural communication and development education.

His autobiography in Odia titled Baladagaadiru Boeing Bimana ("From Bullock Cart to Boeing") describes his life and professional journey.

Awards and recognition

For his contributions to literacy and adult education, Mohanty received several honours including:

  • Nehru Literacy Award (1992)
  • Sardar Patel Literacy Award (2000)

Personal life

Mohanty was married to Krishna Mohanty. He had several children and was known for his interests in photography, writing and public speaking.