'Have Achieved All I Ever Wanted To' — Sunday POST In Conversation

An 'In Conversation' interview by Smruti Rekha Barik published in Sunday POST (19–25 February 2023 edition), titled 'Have Achieved All I Ever Wanted To.' Days ahead of turning 80, the Khallikote-based painter-poet reflects candidly on how art has changed in five decades, why she believes fine art education matters especially for girls, the family support that let her pursue painting instead of a 'mediocre homemaker' life, and the precarious economics facing young artists today given contract teaching posts and thin career options. She names Sarat Chandra Dev, Jita Charan Mohanty, Ajit Keshari Ray and Rabi Narayan Nayak as the painters she looked up to as gurus, and closes by saying she never set fixed goals — only refused to settle — and pursued her passion until she achieved everything she ever wanted to.