Acclaimed poet Jayanta Mahapatra no more, Patnaik expresses deep sorrow

Eminent poet Jayanta Mahapatra passed away at a hospital in Odisha's Cuttack on Sunday, his family members said. He was 95.

Mahapatra, who was admitted at the SCB Medical College Hospital for treatment of pneumonia and other old age-relayed aliments, breathed his last on Sunday night.

His wife and son had predeceased him.

Born in Cuttack on October 22, 1928, Mahapatra was the first Indian poet to win the Sahitya Akademi award for English poetry. He was also conferred with the Padma Shri award in 2009. However, he returned it in 2015 to protest against “rising intolerance in India”.

The author of ‘Indian Summer’ and ‘Hunger’, considered as classics in modern Indian English literature, Mahapatra penned 27 books of poems, of which seven are in Odia language and the rest in English.

Chief Minister Shri Naveen Patnaik expressed deep grief on the passing away of Mahapatra, describing him as a genius in both English and Odia literature.

“He had successfully elevated the reach of Odia literature to a wider circle. His intellect and knowledge was a guiding spirit for many youngsters to write in english literature.

“His mellifluous words will continue to weave their magic, reminding us of the power of human expression. The vivid imagery of his writings about daily life, particularly drawn from Cuttack, will always remain a rich encapsulation of Odia life,” Patnaik said in his condolence message.

Mahapatra’s funeral will take place on Monday with full state honours , the chief minister said.

The CM also wished peace and tranquility for the departed soul.

Mahapatra’s prominent works also include ‘Relationship’, ‘Bare Face’ and ‘Shadow Space’.

He experimented with prose, too. His published books of prose include ‘Green Gardener’, an anthology of short stories, and ‘Door of Paper: Essay and Memoirs’.

A teacher by profession, Mahapatra studied at Stewart School in Cuttack and completed his Masters in Physics from Patna University.