duradrusti, the mouthpiece of oDiA samAja, arrived in to the world on August 1, 2003 under the able hands of Shree Markandeswara Panda, its first editor.

Among its readers and supporters the name duradrusti conveys magic of foresightedness, long distance vision, and the charm of being the first oDiA e-magazine. One can almost picture Galileo staring into outer space through his telescope’s looking glass. The name duradrusti was conjured up in a private telephonic conversation by Debamsita Misra and Biswa Patanaik. they worked a few months to bring it to light with a formal Board of Directors to work on it.

From August 1, 2003 duradrusti has gone from strength to strength. With its every six-monthly reincarnation it brings to light the best of oDiA literature. Outsiders feedback suggest it contains three hallmarks which identifies its uniqueness, besides the top notch quality of the articles and being the first oDiA e-magazine.

• duradrusti’s is identified by its tell-tale signature right from the front -page, where a unique, beautiful, and magically homely oDiA in its conception graphic welcomes the reader. These graphics created by Shree Bikash Panda for all editions until 2009 have been hudely admired. If nothing for a reader, or for someone who can not digest 50 % of contents written in oDiA, these graphics can form a sole reason to visit all the editions of duradrusti reposited here. Expatriate oDiAs have commented that once they see the front page suddenly involuntarily their mind begins to swim in dreams of their homeland (real or imaginary).
• Another of duradrusti’s signature and unique contribution has been the 2 liner quotations from oDiA literature, which grace the bottom of each and every page. Meaningful, literary, and diversifed by source, this is a original idea of duradrusti.
• A third halllmark, that is more obvious to the insiders who plug away prior to release, has been the magic to be an inspiration to create formal writers of people who were previously restricted to writing e-mails. This inspiration still continues. duradrusti’s fertile fodder ground has been myoDisA where many of its budding writers were inspired to begin formal penning, inspired in turn duradrusti, and in return inspired countless others.

Foremost in the druadrusti hall of fame is Shree Markandeswara Panda, who was the proud parent of the first two editions, and Shri Bikash Panda, who till 2008 has been the sole graphic artist to give birth to duradrusti’s fabled front pages. These two will be cherished for ever. The original assocaited board of directors who were part of the huge production first efforts also played a humongous role also share the hall of the fame as appendages.

New and able hands (and faces) have carried on the duradrusti magic, and will continue to do so in the future. Rather than listing all we give a pointer to the hall of fame contributors in various editions of duradrusti.