Santanu Kumar Acharya was born on 15 May 1933[1] inKolkata,West Bengal, to his mother Krushnapriya Mishra (1910–1942) and father Ananta Charan Acharya (1900–1985).[2][3] His home at that time was in the village of Sidheswarpur,Odisha, where his grandfather who compiled thePurnachandra Odia Bhashakosha,Gopala Chandra Praharaj, also lived.[4] On 13 June 1942, his mother, Krushnapriya, died. Shortly after her death, theQuit India Movement began in August. Santanu Kumar Acharya's father was aGandhian, and his family was ostracized by the village elders of Sidheswarpur who were supporters of the British. This event combined with his mother's death just a few months ago led Acharya to find comfort in nature. He began to write poetry about theaesthetics of nature. Soon after that, his poetry started to focus more onintrospection rather than aesthetics. In 1944, at the age of 11, he began to write serious poetry which gained him some recognition at his school. The poetry he wrote then was collected and published asMandakini in 2022.[1] He served theGovernment of Odisha as a college teacher for 34 years, from 1958 to 1992. He retired as the Registrar ofUtkal University.[5]
Adrushya Jagataru Barta, (Messages from the Unknown World) (1996)
Billy Goat Banam Uruvela Ghotatak, (Mr. Billy Goat Alias Mr. Laughing Horse of the Uruvela Forest) (1997)
Swarna Tribhuja, (Golden Triangle) (1998)OCLC46617869 This is a collection of the three short novels of Mantrinka Share, Adrushya Jagataru Barta, & Billy Goat Banam Uruvela Ghotatak.
Trishna: Eka Anaviskrita America, (A Travel-Diary of the Writer Compounded with a Novel Named After the Chief Protagonist Trishna, Based on America) (1999)OCLC46617827
Anomara Kanya, (Anoma’s Daughter: a Historical Novel Based on Redetermination of Goutama Buddha’s Birth Place, in Odisha) (2002)OL25432658M
Mo Katha Ghoda Katha Kahe, 1961 (My Wooden Horse Speaks)
Baga Bagichara Saudagara, 1962 (The Merchants of our gardens)
Akashaku Satoti Pahacha, 1963 (Seven Steps to the Heavens: A science fiction on Space Flight)
Koshi Upatyakara Rajkumar Mohan, 1964 (Mohan, the Prince of the Koshi Valley)
Shaktira Karamati, 1971 (A book of Science on Machines and Power for Children)
Mo Naan Da Vinci O Niaan Laga Opi, 1980 (My name is Da Vinchi and Opi the incendiary i,e Oppenheimer the creator of the first atom bomb; Biographies)
Nitidinia Jeebanare Bijnana, 1989 (Science in Everyday Life for Children )
Baigyanika Abiskara o Udbhabana, 1989 (Important Scientific Discoveries and Life of Scientists)
Dine Akasha bi na thila, 2001 (Once upon a Time there were no Skies over our heads; Cosmology for Children)
Peeta Prastara Udyana, 2010 (A travelogue on the Yellow Stone National Park, US)
Kathare Kathare Bigyana,2020, All the books on Children's Literature authored by Santanu Kumar Acharya Collected into one Book, Published by Santosh Publications,Kanchan, Gajapati Nagar, Sutahata, Cuttack, 753003.
Mo Jeeban: Anya Eka Upanyasa, 2013 (My Life is Another Novel)
Travelogue:
Baichitryamaya Desha: America Bhramana, 2015 (The Mysterious Country: America - A travelogue)
Books translated into other languages:
English:
Shakuntala: award-winning original novel in Odia language, 1980, translated to English by Lipipushpa Nayak, first edition 2014
Anoma's Daughter: award-winning original novel in Odia,Anomara Kanya (2003), translated to English by Bibhas Mohanty and the author
Santanu Kumar Acharya: collection of short stories, published by Grass Roots, Kolkata, 2004, translated by St-Pierre, Leelawati Mohapatra and K.K. Mohapatra
Hindi:
Nara Kinnara: first published in Odia language in Odisha, 1962, Odisha Sahitya Academy Award-winning classic Odia novel), translated from Odia to Hindi by Shanakar Lal Purohit, published by Vijaya Books, Sahadara Delhi, 2017,ISBN9788192084107
Shakuntala (1987 Sarala Prize-winning Odia novel, first published in Odisha, 1980), published by Radhakrishna Prakashan (Rajkamal) Pvt Ltd (1997), Dariya Ganj, Delhi-2, translated from author's original novelShakuntala in Odia to Hindi by Prof Radhakanta Mishra.
Dakshinavarta, 2002 (novel), translated from author's novelDakshinavarta in Odia to Hindi by Dr Srinivas Udgata
Gujarati:
Dakshinavarta (novel), published by 1986, translated from author's original Odia novelDakshinavarta to Gujarati and published by Dr Ranuka Sriram
Bengali:
Chalanti Thakura (Academy Award-winning book: short story collection of the author), published 1991, translated from author's original short story collection to Bengali by Shyamasundar Mahapatra and Amitrasudan Bhattacharya, published by Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi, 2016
Sarala Puraskara, 1987; A prestigious literary award offered annually by Odisha's famous industrial house IMFA, for his novelShakuntala
Sahitya Akademi Award, 1993 (Indian National Academy of Literature) for his short story bookChalanti Thakura (The Living God)
Bharatiya Bhasha Parishad, Kolkata, Konarka Prize, 1994, for his short story book:Chalanti Thakura (The Living God)
Sahitya Bharati Puraskar, 2004, by Gangadhara Ratha Foundation, for his life-time achievements and contributions to Odia literature
Katha Puraskar, 2003, by Katha Bharati Foundation, New Delhi, for his Odia novelAnomara Kanya, translated into English asAnoma's Daughter
Atibadi Jagannath Das Award, the highest honour given by the State, conferred by Sahitya Akademy, Odisha, for lifelong contribution to Odia literature and excellence, in a special ceremony, on 25 July 2014, at Bhubaneswar, Odisha
^"Katha | Writers".katha.org. Archived fromthe original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved30 January 2013.in 1992 he retired as the registrar of Utkal University, Orissa.
