Jayanta Mahapatra | |
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| Born | (1928-10-22)22 October 1928 |
| Died | 27 August 2023(2023-08-27) (aged 94) Cuttack,Odisha, India |
| Occupation | Indian English poet, Teacher of Physics |
| Years active | 1970–2023 |
| Notable works | Relationship (1980) |
| Notable awards | Sahitya Akademi,Padma Shri |
| Parents | Lemuel Mohapatra, Sudhansubala Dash |
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Jayanta Mahapatra (22 October 1928 – 27 August 2023) was an Indian poet.[1] He is the first Indian poet to win aSahitya Akademi award for English poetry. He was the author of poems such as"Indian Summer" and"Hunger", which are regarded as classics in modernIndian English literature. He was awarded aPadma Shri, the fourth highest civilian honour in India in 2009,[2][3] but he returned the award in 2015 to protest against rising intolerance in India.[4]
Jayanta Mahapatra was born on 22 October 1928 into a prominent Odia Christian family.[5][6] He attended Stewart School inCuttack,Odisha. He completed his M. Sc. in Physics from Patna University,Bihar. He began his teaching career as a lecturer in physics in 1949 and taught at various government colleges in Odisha includingGangadhar Meher University,B.J.B College,Fakir Mohan University andRavenshaw University. In 1986 he retired from his government job as Reader in Physics at Ravenshaw University (then Ravenshaw College).[7]
Mahapatra began his writing career in the late sixties. His short stories and poems were initially rejected by several publishers, until his poems were published in international literary journals. He was invited to participate in theInternational Writing Program at Iowa, which brought him international exposure.[citation needed]
Mahapatra was part of a trio of poets who laid the foundations ofIndian English Poetry, which includedA. K. Ramanujan andR. Parthasarathy.[8] He differed from the others in not being a product of Bombay school of poets. Over time, he managed to carve a quiet, tranquil poetic voice of his own, different from those of his contemporaries.[9]
This one of Mahapatra's best-known, most-quoted early poems, widely anthologised in Indian poetry collections.[10] It explores the informalchild sex trade. In the poet's own words, "In 'Hunger' I was writing from experience.”[11] The poem is an expression of the poet's loneliness as a youth, as Mahapatra had a disturbed childhood.
The poem is notable for its direct approach to the taboo topic of a father prostituting his daughter. In the second line, the fisherman asks casually "will you have her?" A wide range of poetic devices are employed to bring out the entrapment of the mind in the flesh.[12]
This poem was originally a part of the poet's collection,A Rain of Rites.
Mahapatra authored 27 books of poems, of which seven are inOdia and the rest in English. His poetry volumes includeRelationship,Bare Face, andShadow Space. Besides poetry, he has experimented widely with myriad forms of prose. His published books of prose includeGreen Gardener, an anthology of short stories, andDoor of Paper: Essay and Memoirs. Mahapatra was also a distinguished editor and was involved in the production of the literary magazineChandrabhaga.[13] His poems have appeared in prestigious poetry anthologies likeThe Dance of the Peacock: An Anthology of English Poetry from India,[14] published by Hidden Brook Press, Canada.[15]
Mahapatra also translated from Odia into English, and some of his translations were published in the bi-monthly literary magazineIndian Literature. Some anthologies of his translations have also been published.[16]
Mahapatra frequently explores themes of cultural struggle, identity exploration, and displacement in his poetry. His writing captures the intricacies of current Indian society as well as the difficulties in balancing traditional ideals with changing circumstances. His utilization of imagery from ordinary life and Indian landscapes, coupled with a thoughtful and introspective voice, define his approach.
Jayanta Mahapatra died of pneumonia on 27 August 2023, at the age of 94.[17]
In 1981 Jayanta Mahapatra wonSahitya Akademi award for his poetry bookRelationships. He became the first ever writer in English language to win Sahitya Akademi award. He is also a recipient of theJacob Glatstein memorial award conferred byPoetry magazine,Chicago. He was also awarded the Allen Tate Poetry Prize for 2009 fromThe Sewanee Review. He received theSAARC Literary Award, New Delhi, 2009. He has also received Tata Literature Lifetime Achievement Award.[18] He was conferred with aPadma Shri in 2009 and awarded an honorary doctorate byRavenshaw University on 2 May 2009. He was also awarded a D. Lit. degree byUtkal University,Odisha, in 2006. In May 2019 he became the first ever Indian English poet to become a Fellow of theSahitya Akademi.[19]
