Mohapatra Nilamani Sahoo

Mohapatra Nilamani Sahoo (22 December 1926 – 25 June 2016), surname also spelt Sahu, was an Indian Odia language short story writer. He received several literary awards over his career, including the 1979 Odisha Sahitya Academy Award for Akasha Patala, and the 1983 Sarala Award and the 1984 Sahitya Akademi Award in Odia, for Abhisapta Gandharba. Sahoo died on 25 June 2016 after multiple organ failures.[1][2]

Mohapatra Nilamani Sahoo
Mohapatra Nilamani Sahoo in 2012
Born(1926-12-22)22 December 1926
Niali, Cuttack, Odisha, India
Died25 June 2016(2016-06-25) (aged 89)
Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
NationalityIndian
OccupationWriter
Notable workAkasha Patala
Abhisapta Gandharba
SpousePrasanna Kumari Devi
ChildrenGuruprasad Mohapatra
Signature

Life and career

Sahoo was born on 22 December 1926 in the town Niali of the Cuttack district in a wealthy zamindar family. He studied and completed matriculation at the Binjharpur High School and later went on to finish his graduation and post-graduation in Odia at the Ravenshaw College at Cuttack. After post-graduation, Sahoo took the job of librarian at the Sambalpur University where he continued for two years. Later he took the post of lecturer of Odia at the Bhadrak College, followed by Paralakhemundi Government College at Gajapati. Sahoo became vice-principal and later principal of the BJB Evening College at Bhubaneshwar.[1][3]

Literary works and awards

Sahoo wrote various short stories in Odia language. His popular works include Prema Tribhuja (1952), Michha Bagha (1955), Srunantu Sarbe Amrutasya Putra (1957), Ganjei O’ Gabesana (1961), Andha Ratira Surya (1965) and more. He also published novel; Dhara O Dhara, Tamasi Radha and Hansa Mithuna.[1] Sahoo also wrote one-act and children's plays.[4] His 1979 book Akasha Patala (literally "Heaven and Hell") won him the Odisha Sahitya Academy Award. The short story compilation Abhisapta Gandharba (literally "The Cursed Gandharva") received the Sarala Award in 1983, followed by a Sahitya Akademi Award for Odia in 1984.[3][5] The book was translated into Hindi by Siddharth Mansingh Mahapatra in 1992.[6]

From 1965 to 1969, Sahoo edited and wrote for the magazine Jhankara. He was also the editor of other periodicals such as Utkala Prasanga and Orissa Review from 1975 to 1978.[1] In Jhankara, he often wrote on philosophies of Sri Aurobindo.[7] He translated Aurobindo's Savitri: A Legend and a Symbol and delivered lectures on Aurobindo, Ramakrishna Paramhansa and Swami Vivekananda.[8]

Sahoo was the recipient of the Kanta Kabi Award in 2001, the Sahitya Bharati Award in 2006, and the Utkal Ratna Award in 2013.[1][8] His stories described the subtleties of human emotion[9] and featured verbal as well as situational comedy.[10] His works are also noted for satirizing human idiocies.[11]

Death

"His short story book Abhisapta Gandharba is one of the finest works of Odia literature. He will always be remembered for his outstanding contribution to Odia literature. With his death, the state has lost an exceptional writer."
–Naveen Patnaik, Chief Minister of Odisha, eulogizing Sahoo.[2]

Sahoo died on 25 June 2016 at the age of 89 in a private hospital at Bhubaneswar. He suffered from prostate cancer and was admitted to hospital on 24 June after falling critically ill. He died after multiple organ failures.[12] He was survived by his wife, a son and a daughter.[13]

References
  1. "Writer Mohapatra Nilamani Sahu passes away". The New Indian Express. 25 June 2016. Retrieved 25 June 2016.
  2. "Eminent author Mahapatra Nilamani Sahoo passes away". Odisha TV. 25 June 2016. Retrieved 25 June 2016.
  3. "Eminent Odia litterateur Mohapatra Nilamani Sahoo no more". Odisha Sun Times. 25 June 2016. Retrieved 27 June 2016.
  4. Mohanty, Jagannath (2009). Encyclopaedia of Education, Culture and Children's Literature: vol 4. Deep and Deep Publications. p. 48. ISBN 9788184501513.
  5. "Akademi Awards (1955–2015)". Sahitya Akademi. 27 June 2016. Retrieved 27 June 2016.
  6. Rao, D. S. (2004). Five Decades: The National Academy of Letters, India : a Short History of Sahitya Akademi. Sahitya Akademi. p. 58. ISBN 9788126020607.
  7. Ghose, Aurobindo; Iyengar, K. R. Srinivasa (1974). Sri Aurobindo: A Centenary Tribute. Sri Aurobindo: A Centenary Tribute. p. 109.
  8. Sampad, Shilpi; Mohanty, Subhashish (3 August 2013). "'Naveen babu should try to learn Odia'". The Telegraph. Kolkata. Archived from the original on 27 April 2014. Retrieved 27 June 2016.
  9. Indian Writers in Conference. University of California. 1964. p. 178.
  10. Datta, Amaresh (1988). Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: Devraj to Jyoti, Volume 2. Sahitya Akademi. p. 1614. ISBN 9788126011940.
  11. Lal, Mohan (1992). Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: Sasay to Zorgot. Sahitya Akademi. p. 3854. ISBN 9788126012213.
  12. "Last rites of Mahapatra Nilamani Sahoo today". Odisha TV. Bhubaneshwar. 26 June 2016. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  13. "Odia writer Mohapatra Nilamani Sahoo passes away". Business Standard. 25 June 2016. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
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