Jayanta Mahapatra - Age, Wiki and Bio

Physical Stats & More

Eye Color	Black
Hair Color	white

Date of Death	27/08/2023
Place of Death	SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, Odisha
Age (at the time of death)	94 Years
Death Cause	pneumonia
Zodiac sign	Libra
Religion	Christianity

Marital Status (at the time of death)	Widower

Father

Lemuel Mohapatra

Mother

Sudhansubala Dash

Spouse

Jyotsana Mahapathra (Runu) (Passed away in 2000s)

Children

Son	-Mohan Mahapatra (passed away in 2018)
Daughter	None

Last Published work	‘Jhanji- the Sunstroke’ (Odhiya Poetry Book) (released on 1 January 2023)
Awards	In 1981, he won the Sahitya Akademi Award for his poetry book "Relationships." In 2009, he won Padma Shree for his contribution to literature. In 2017, he won the Kanhaiya Lal Sethia Award for Poetry at the Jaipur Literature Festival. In 2013, he won the RL Poetry Lifetime Achievement Award for Poetry in Hyderabad. In 1975, he won the Jacob Glatstein Memorial Award for Poetry in Chicago. In 1970, he won a Second Prize at the International Who's Who in Poetry in London. In 1976, he received the Visiting Writer Award at the International Writing Program in Iowa City. In 1978, he received the Cultural Award for Visitor in Australia. In 1980, the Japan Foundation honoured him with a Visitor's Award in Japan. In 2009, he received the SAARC Literary Award in New Delhi.

Last Published work

‘Jhanji- the Sunstroke’ (Odhiya Poetry Book) (released on 1 January 2023)

Awards

In 1981, he won the Sahitya Akademi Award for his poetry book "Relationships."
In 2009, he won Padma Shree for his contribution to literature.
In 2017, he won the Kanhaiya Lal Sethia Award for Poetry at the Jaipur Literature Festival.
In 2013, he won the RL Poetry Lifetime Achievement Award for Poetry in Hyderabad.
In 1975, he won the Jacob Glatstein Memorial Award for Poetry in Chicago.
In 1970, he won a Second Prize at the International Who's Who in Poetry in London.
In 1976, he received the Visiting Writer Award at the International Writing Program in Iowa City.
In 1978, he received the Cultural Award for Visitor in Australia.
In 1980, the Japan Foundation honoured him with a Visitor's Award in Japan.
In 2009, he received the SAARC Literary Award in New Delhi.

Jayanta Mahapatra (1928-2023) was an Indian English poet.
He was the first Indian poet to receive the Sahitya Akademi award for his English poetry.
Considered one of the pioneers of Indian English poetry, along with A. K. Ramanujan and R. Parthasarathy.
Mahapatra passed away in August 2023.
His childhood was challenging due to an inattentive father and strict mother.
Twice as a teenager, he ran away from home, facing obstacles each time.
Born into an Odian Christian lower middle-class family among Hindus.
Bullied in school for his religion, which he documented in diaries later destroyed by his mother.
Attended Stewart School and pursued Physics for higher education.
Started his teaching career after completing his master's degree in Physics.
Spent two years as a visiting writer at the University of Iowa.
Traveled to several countries during his teaching career.
Struggled to get his poems published until they gained recognition in international journals.
Retired in 1986 from his teaching job and from government service.
Besides poetry, he also delved into prose, publishing collections like Green Gardener and Door of Paper.
Became the editor of Chandrabhaga in 2000 and led the magazine for over 20 years.
Organized the annual Chandrabhaga literary festival.