Tapan Kumar Pradhan | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Pradhan in 2021 | |
| Born | (1972-10-22)22 October 1972 Bhubaneshwar,Odisha, India |
| Occupation | Poet, activist, banker |
| Language | Odia, English, Hindi |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Education | Doctorate |
| Alma mater | Utkal University,BJB College |
| Period | 21st century |
| Genre | Poetry, essays |
| Subject | Human rights |
| Notable works | Kalahandi |
| Notable awards | Sahitya Akademi |
| Spouse | Suvashree H |
| Children | 2 |
Tapan Kumar Pradhan (born 1972) is an Indian poet, writer and translator fromOdisha. He is best known for his poem collection "Kalahandi" which was awarded second place inSahitya Akademi's Golden JubileeIndian Literature Translation Prize for Poetry in 2007.[1][2] His other works include "Equation", "I, She and the Sea", "Wind in the Afternoon" and "Dance of Shiva".[3]
Pradhan was born on 22 October 1972 at Shahid Nagar inBhubaneswar,Odisha, and spent his childhood inKalahandi,Nuapada,Keonjhar andLaxmisagar. He studied atLaxmisagar Highschool,BJB College andUtkal University. He also studied briefly atUniversity of Hyderabad,TISS andIIT Kanpur where he discontinued. His father Arakshit Pradhan was an engineer underGovernment of Odisha but left job in protest against rampant corruption in Government projects. After Arakshit Pradhan left forHimalayas, the family was brought up by his wife Kumudini Pradhan.[4]
In 2007, Pradhan received the Indian Express[5] Citizen for Peace[6] prize fromShyam Benegal for his essays on communal harmony.[7] He has also won First Prize in All-India Inter-bank Hindi Essay Competition for 2007–08,[8] a prize he also won in 2006–07[9] for his essays on micro-finance and financial inclusion. He also won First Prize in the RBIA Silver Jubilee essay competition on Future of Central Banking conducted by Reserve Bank of India in 2007–08. He was the First Prize winner in RBI Brand Building Competition, 2007 for his bold satirical essay "Dreaming the RBI Brand", which created shock waves in the Reserve Bank fraternity. During his student days he had won many literary prizes including Upasika Kamaladevi Award for essays on Buddhism, Shatadru prize for short story and Ankur prize for poetry etc. He wasUtkal University literary champion during 1993–94. Pradhan's poem "The Buddha Smiled" won commendation first prize in All India Poetry Competition 2013[10] conducted byPoetry Society (India).
Pradhan's works encompass both secular and spiritual literature. His poems, essays, sketches and short stories have been published in the journalsIndian Literature,Journal of Poetry Society,The Statesman,Times of India andThe Samaja.[11] His book “Kalahandi” has been included in literature syllabus of several colleges and universities.[12][13] He has also co-authored, edited and commented on the spiritual works ofGerman Christian poetAntony Theodore and mysticKashmiri poetLalitha Iyer showing the underlying unity of all world religions. His skillful translation of Urdu poetry helpedMunawwar Rana'sghazals reach global audience.[14][15]
In 2009, Pradhan petitionedCentral Information Commission of India to increase transparency in the Performance Appraisal System inRBI.[16] Pradhan was first person in RBI and public sector employee to obtain hisPAR report throughRTI Act. As against CIC's view that PAR was "confidential personal information", Pradhan contended that PAR is the appraisal committee'simpersonal evaluation of thepublic service rendered bypublic servants in theirimpersonal capacity in apublic organisation; and hence there was nothing "personal" about PAR.[17] Following his petition, RBI began disclosingPAR reports to all employees[18] before moving over to a more objective method of appraisal called Performance Management System. In the words ofSmt Usha Thorat, the ex-Deputy Governor of RBI, Pradhan makes "ingenious use of the RTI Act" to redress individual grievances.[19]
UnderUGC Fellowship, Pradhan was awarded the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in 2001 for his dissertation onStructural and Economic Dimensions of Communal Conflict.[20] He has researched theKandh-Pana conflict inKandhamal district,Hindu-Muslim relations inBhadrak andHarijan-Savarnacaste dynamics at Brahmabarada inJajpur district ofOdisha. He taught Sociology atFakir Mohan University, Balasore, before joiningReserve Bank of India in 1999 as a Grade-B officer. In 2014, Pradhan left RBI to joinGovernment of Odisha as Director and Additional Secretary in Finance Department. He established transparent score-based ranking of banks onFinancial Inclusion parameters for awarding of Government business.[21]
In 2001 Pradhan married Suvashree, a trainedOdishi dancer.[22] The couple have a son and a daughter.[23]
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