Manoj Das

Manoj Das
Born	(1934-02-27) 27 February 1934 Sankhari, Balasore, Odisha, India
Occupation	Bilingual writer, columnist, editor, professor, philosopher, and student leader
Awards	Padma Shri Sahitya Akademi Fellowship Saraswati Samman
Website	http://www.worldofmanojdas.in
Signature

Manoj Das (born 1934) is an award-winning Indian author who writes in Odia and English. Kendra Sahitya Akademi has bestowed its highest award (also India's highest literary award) i.e Sahitya Akademi Award Fellowship.^[1] Manoj Das was awarded Padma Shri in 2001 (also Padmashree)^[2] for his contribution in the field of Literature & Education, the fourth highest Civilian Award in India. In 2000 he was awarded with Saraswati Samman also.

In 1971 his research in the archives of London and Edinburgh brought to light some of the little-known facts of India's freedom struggle in the first decade of the twentieth century led by Sri Aurobindo for which he received the first Sri Aurobindo Puraskar (Kolkata).

His deeper quest led him to mysticism and he has been an inmate of Sri Aurobindo Ashram in Puducherry since 1973 where he currently teaches English Literature and the Philosophy of Sri Aurobindo at the Sri Aurobindo International University.^[3]

Early life

Manoj Das was born in the small coastal village of Shankari in the Balasore district of Odisha. Since 1963, he has been an ashramite at Sri Aurobindo Ashram in Puducherry.^[4] He cites Fakir Mohan Senapati, Vyasa, and Valmiki as early influences.^[5]

He was a youth leader with radical views in his college days, playing an active role in Afro-Asian students' conference at Bandung, Indonesia, in 1959.

As Editor and columnist

He edited a cultural magazine, The Heritage, published from Chennai in the 1980s. The magazine is no more in circulation.^[6]

He wrote columns on quest for finding eternal truth in common lives in India’s national dailies like The Times of India, The Hindustan Times, The Hindu and The Statesman.^{[7] [8]}

Creative writing and story-telling

Manoj Das is perhaps the foremost bilingual Odia writer and a master of dramatic expression both in his English and Odia short stories and novels. Das has been compared to Vishnu Sharma, in modern Odia literature for his magnificent style^[9][10] and efficient use of words and for the fact that, he is one of the best story-tellers in India at present times.^[11][12] Over the years many research scholars have done their doctoral thesis on the works of Manoj Das, Dr. P. Raja being the first scholar to do so.

Politics

Among the other important positions that Das has held are, Member, General Council, Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi 1998–2002, and Author-consultant, Ministry of Education, Government of Singapore, 1983–85. He was the leader of the Indian delegation of writers to China (1999).

Awards

• Veda Vyas Samman^[13]
• Amritakeerti Puraskar, 2013^[14][15]
• NTR Literary Award, 2013^[16]
• Atibadi Jagannath Das award, 2007^[17]
• Sahitya Akademi Fellowship,^[18] 2006^[19]
• Padma Shri, 2001
• Saraswati Samman, 2000;^[20][21]
• Sahitya Bharati Award, 1995
• Sarala Award, 1981
• Vishuba Award, 1986
• Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award, 1972
• Odisha Sahitya Academy Award, 1965 and 1987
• Odisha State Film Award for Best Story 2001

Selected works

Novels

• The Escapist, 2001
• Tandralokara Prahari, 2000
• Aakashra Isara, 1997
• ''Amruta Phala, 1996 (Saraswathi Samman)
• A Tiger at Twilight, 1991
• Cyclones, 1987
• Prabhanjana
• Godhulira Bagha
• Kanaka-Upatyaka ra Kahani

Short Story

• Upakath Sataka;
• Abu Purusha;
• Sesa Basantara Chithi, 1966;
• Manoj Dasanka Katha O Kahani, 1971;
• Dhumabha Diganta O Anyana Kahani, 1971;
• The Crocodile's Lady: A Collection of Stories, 1975;
• Manojpanchabinsati, 1977;
• The Submerged Valley and Other Stories, 1986;
• Farewell to a Ghost: Short Stories and a Novelette, 1994;
• Legend of the Golden Valley, 1996;
• Samudra Kulara Ek Grama (Balya Smruti), 1996
• Aaranyaka; (adapted to Aranyaka, 1994)
• Bhinna Manisha O Anyana Kahani;
• Abupurusha O Anyana Kahani;
• Laxmi Ra Abhisar;
• Abolkara Kahani;
• Aranya Ullash
• Selected Fiction,^[22]
• Chasing the Rainbow : growing up in an Indian village, 2004.

Travelogue

• Kete Diganta (Part – I);
• Kete Diganta (Part – II);
• Antaranga Bharat (Part – I) (My Little India);
• Antaranga Bharat (Part – II);
• Duradurantara;
• Adura Bidesh – 2004.

Poetry

• Tuma Gaan O Anyanya Kabita, 1992.
• Kabita Utkala.

History & Culture

• Bharatara Aytihya: Sateka Prashnara Uttara,1999;
• Manoj Das Paribesita Upakatha Satak (Tales Told by Mystics), 2002;
• Mahakalara Prahelika O Anyana Jigyansa, 2006.
• Jeebana Jinjasa o Smaraneeka Stabak
• Prajna Pradeepika

Commentary

Once world famous fiction writer Graham Greene said, "I have read the stories of Manoj Das with great pleasure. He will certainly take a place on my shelves besides the stories of Narayan. I imagine Odisha is far from Malgudi, but there is the same quality in his stories with perhaps an added mystery."^[23]

Notes

References

• "Manoj Das – Oriya Writer: The South Asian Literary Recordings Project" Library of Congress, New Delhi Office;
• Raja, P. (1993) Many worlds of Manok [sic] Das B.R. Pub. Corp, New Delhi, ISBN 81-7018-761-3 ;

External links

• Official Website:worldofmanojdas.in
• facenfacts.com: Face to Face with Manoj Das