BHUBANESWAR: Eminent Odia writer Gourahari Das will be conferred the prestigious Sarala Puraskar for his book ‘Bagha O Anyanya Galpa’. Published in 2018, the book has 11 short stories. The writer will be awarded with a citation and cash reward of Rs 5 lakh at a ceremony here on October 26.
This is the 43rd edition of the literary award, which was instituted by Indian Metals Public Charitable Trust (IMPaCT) in 1980. Sarala Puraskar is recognised as the foremost literary award of the State.
Earlier this year, Das was selected to receive the Sahitya Akademi Translation Prize for the year 2021 for ‘Chheli Chareibara Dina’, his Odia translation of Malayalam novel ‘Aadujeevitham’ (Goat Days) by Uday Parkash. Das, who had received the Sahitya Akademi Award in 2012, had translated and published ‘Goat Days’ in 2016.
Including this, he has six translations to his credit besides, several novels, travelogues and short stories. Awardees of the Ila Panda Sangeet Samman and Ila Panda Chitrakala Samman were also announced on the day by IMPaCT. London-based eminent painter and writer Prafulla Mohanti and Odissi music Guru Ghanshyam Panda will be honoured with ‘Ila-Bansidhar Panda Kala Samman’.