Jagannath Prasad Das


Jagannath Prasad Das is an Indian writer, poet, painter, playwright and novelist who writes in Odia.

Life

Starting his career with a brief teaching assignment as assistant professor in the University of Allahabad, he joined the Indian Administrative Service and had held positions in the Government of Odisha and the Central Government. He has chosen to settle down in Delhi after taking premature retirement from Government service and is involved in the cultural and social life of the city where he lives.

Translations and Editing

Besides translating some of his own work in Odia into English, he has also translated other works in different languages into both Odia and English. He has translated Odia Women Poets’ Work into English, Catherine Clement’s poems from French into English, Gulzar’s poems from Urdu into English, Swedish poet Werner Aspenstrom’s poems into Odia, a medieval Odia text Lakshmipurana into English and the poetry of Odia Dalit poet Basudev Sunani into English.
He edited the first ever anthology of Odia Short Stories in English translation. He has edited an anthology of poetry from different Indian languages, and a volume of essays, Films for Children.

Fellowships

Das has been awarded the following Fellowships for research and creative writing:

Awards

  • Vishuva Award from Pajatantra Prachar Samiti – 1976 and 1984
  • Odisha Sahitya Akademi Award – 1975
  • Sahitya Akademi Award – 1990. He did not accept the award.
  • Sarala Award – 1998
  • Nandikar Playwright Award – 2000
  • Saraswati Samman – 2006

Books by J P Das in Odia

Odia poetry

Prathama Purusha – 1971Anya sabu Mrtyu – 1976Je Jahara Nirjanata – 1979Anya Desha Bhinna Samaya – 1982Jatrara Prathama Pada – 1988Ahnika – 1990Sthirachitra – 1991Sacharachara – 1994Smrtira Sahara – 1995Parikrama – 1998Asamaya – 2004Kabita Samagra – Ink Odisha, Bhubaneswar, -2011

Odia Short Stories

Bhavanatha O Anyamane – 1982Dinacharya – 1983Ame Jeunmane – 1986Sakshatkara – 1986Priya Bidushaka – 1991Shesha Paryanta – 1995Icchhapatra – 2000Indradhanu, Akhi O Kabitara Dirghajibana – 2009

Odia plays

Suryasta Purbaru – 1977Saba Shesha Loka – 1980Asangata Nataka – 1981Purbaraaga – 1983Sundara Das – 1993

Odia novel

Desha Kala Patra – Prachi Prakashan, Bhubaneswar, 1991

Children's literature (Odia)/nonsense rhymes

Alimalika – Publication Division, Ministry of I and B, Government of India, 1993Alukuchi Malukuchi – Lark, 1993/Timepass, Bhubaneswar, 1993Anabana – Ink Odisha, Bhubaneswar, 2008Anamana – Timepass, Bhubaneswar, 2016

Translation into Odia

Svapna-bichara – 2000

Anthologies of Poetry and Short Stories in Odia

Chha'ti Jhia – 1987Premakabita – 1991Shreshtha Kabita – 1993Purbapara-1 – 1995Purbapara-2 – 1996Rangalipi – 1997Kathajatra - 2000Kabita Samagra – 2011Shreshtha Galpa - 2014

Books by J P Das in English

Research works

Puri Paintings: The Chitrakara and His Work, Arnold-Heinemann, 1982Chitra-Pothi: Illustrated Palm-leaf Manuscripts, Arnold-Heinemann, 1985Palm-leaf Miniatures, Abhinav Publications, 1991

Essays

Reflections on Literature and Culture, Sikshasandhan, 2009

Works edited

Oriya Short Stories, Vikas Publishing House, 1983Films for Children, Vikas Publishing House, 1987Kavita 93, Virgo Publications, 1993

Works translated

Growing an Indian Star, Vikas Publishing House, 1991Under a Silent Sun, Vikas Publishing House, 1992Autumn Moon, Rupa Publishing House, 1999

Books by Das translated into English

First Person – Tr: Deba Patnaik, Arnold-Heinemann, 1976Love is a Season – Tr: Poet, Arnold-Heinemann, 1978Timescapes – Tr: Poet, Arnold-Heinemann, 1980Silences – Tr: Poet, Vikas, 1989Diurnal Rites – Tr: H. Panda, Sahitya Akademi, 1994The Unreal City – Tr: Durga P. Panda, Har Anand, 1997Lovelines – Tr: Poet with Paul St-Pierre, Virgo, 2001Alimalika – Tr: Poet, Writers Workshop, 2004Dark Times – Tr: Poet with Paul St-Pierre, Virgo, 2004Poems – Tr: Poet, Grassroots, 2004Nanasense – Tr: Sumanyu Satpathy, NBT, 2013

Short stories

The Magic Deer – Tr: Author, Vikas, 1983The Forbidden Street – Tr: Author, Vikas, 1988Spider's Web – Tr: KK. & Leelawati Mahapatra, Vikas, 1990The Prostitute – Tr: Bibhuti Mishra and others, Har Anand, 1995The Pukka Sahib – Tr: Bikram K Das, Harper Collins, 2001Stories – Tr: Paul St-Pierre, Leela and K K Mahapatra, Grassroots, 2003Dear Jester – Tr: R K Swain and Paul St-Pierre, Rupa, 2004The Will – Tr: Ashok Mohanty, Sahitya Akademi, 2007

Plays

Before the Sunset – Tr: Author, Arnold-Heinemnn, 1978Two Plays – Tr: Author, Writers Workshop, 1983The Underdog – Tr: Ravi Baswani, Vikas, 1984Absurd Play – Tr: Author, Writers Workshop, 1989Sundardas – Tr. Paul St-Pierre and others, NSD and Har Anand, 2002Miss X – Tr: Author, Rupa, 2002

Novel

A Time Elsewhere – Tr: Jatindra K. Nayak, Penguin, 2009

Collections of his works by others

J. P. Das Omnibus, Ed: Paul St. Peirre, Har-Anand, 2012Complete Plays, Ed: N. K. Bhattacharjee, Har-Anand, 2012Selected Short Stories, Ed: Mauricio Aguilera, Har-Anand, 2013Selected Poems, Har-Anand, 2014

Books on J P Das

Words on Canvas: J.P.Das and His Work – ed. Ganeswar Mishra Srijan Jatra – by Ganeswar Mishra Priya JP – ed. Sumanyu Satpathy Jagannath Prasad: Bandhutara Aasara – ed. Ganeswar Mishra Bahudha – by Sumanyu Satpathy, 2014"Bharatiyatara Anweshi JAGANNATH PRASAD DAS" – Translated and Edited by Dr Rabinarayan Moharana "Mukhashala" – Compiled and Translated by Dr Rabinarayan Moharana "JP JIBANEE" – A biography of Dr Jagannath Prasad Das. The book is written by Dr Rabinarayan Moharana and has been published under the auspices of Utkal Sahitya Samaj, Cuttack and by M/s Jagannath Rath, Binod Bihari, Cuttack. First Edition : 2019."Jane JP Aneka Jeebana" - A biography of JP, a multifaced literary person of Odisha. This book is written by Dr Rabinarayan Moharana and has been published by Pakshighara Prakashanee, Bhubaneswar. First Edition : 2021

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