The Unsung Hero Poem by Sachidananda Panda

A life, replete with numerous upheavals,
A journey that was rooted on resilience,
A relentless attitude to win and achieve
Newer heights, beyond the common reach
A heart that felt the pulse of the ignoble mass,
A man who sang the hymns
Of the glories of the nation's past
And of the state always on lips,
The eyes that saw the generations ahead,
A selfless Samaritan, a visionary,
A patron of modern science,
An aviator by profession, a military strategist,
A thinker, a daring smart pilot
Who could shake the British apple cart,
An eagle against all vicious storms,
The flag bearer of Jammu and Kashmir
To add it, to India's Map,
The unsung hero of the Indian freedom struggle,
A crusader against corruption,
An adored character across political circles,
A nationalist above politics,
A ‘Bharat Ratna' by his own rights,
The gallant warrior who saw the thrill
And thunder of the Second World War,
As a soldier, a warrior
As chief Commander of Royal Indian Air force
A saviour of Indonesian pride,
The ‘Bhoomi Putra' of the Island nation,
The incarnated Kharavela of Kalinga,
An ardent exponent of science and technology
The architect of modern Odisha, ‘The Avtar'
And the list becomes endless to be attributed
To a revered personality in the hearts and minds
Of the people of Odisha, as an epic, an Icon, a legend,
The multifaceted character, the Phoenix,
And, the pride of Odisha, ‘Biju patnaik
I bow in homage

©sachi-5th March 2021
All rights reserved