BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed grief over the demise of eminent poet, writer and playwright Jagannath Prasad Das. The former IAS officer breathed his last at his residence here on Thursday. One of the most distinguished figures in modern Odia literature, Das was celebrated for his remarkable contribution to poetry, fiction, drama, criticism and art history. Born in Puri district in 1936, he emerged as a powerful literary voice during the 1970s and went on to shape contemporary Odia literature through his innovative and deeply humanistic writings.
Das authored several acclaimed collections of poetry, short stories and plays. His poetry collection ‘Ahinik’ received the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1991, but he did not accept the honour. The Akademi went on to publish it in Hindi, Bengali, Assamese and English. An MA in Political Science and PhD in Art History, Das penned ‘Desha, Kala, Patra,’ a historical novel that gave a rare view into Odisha’s transition from a traditional society during the colonial rule. Considered his seminal work, it went on to be published in all Indian languages. Apart from literature, Das made significant contributions to the study of Odisha’s traditional art and culture through works like ‘Puri Paintings’ and ‘Chitra-Pothi’.
He translated several literary works into English and edited important anthologies. His career as an IAS officer was remarkable too. As collector of Kalahandi, he earned praise for his work in the drought-hit district during 1963-1966. After leaving the IAS in 1984, he devoted himself entirely to writing and research.
Describing him as a writer of high calibre and also an efficient IAS officer, Majhi said in a post on X that Das served in several important positions in both the Odisha government and the Centre, dedicating himself to the service of the state and nation. “Das has left a distinct imprint of creativity across every genre of literature, poetry, drama, short story, novel, essay and translation. His passing is an irreparable loss to the literary world,” the CM said.
Union Education minister Dharmendra Pradhan said Das’ contributions to enriching the world of Odia literature and art were unparalleled. “His works like ‘Desha, Kala, Patra’ will forever remain memorable in the Odia literary world,” he said. Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik also hailed the contribution of Das in enriching Odia literature and the world of theatre. President of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) Bhakta Charan Das and leaders cutting across party lines condoled his death. President of Sahitya Akademi Madhav Kaushik and secretary Varun Gulati said, “Das was a true master of words whose creativity, wisdom and deep understanding of human emotions touched countless hearts. His demise is a profound loss to the literary world and all who admired his work.”
Prof Jatindra Kumar Nayak, who had translated ‘Desha, Kala, Patra’ into English, said his cosmopolitan sensibility, which drew him to different literary traditions of the world deepened his involvement with Odia literature. Eminent writer Goura Hari Das said in an multi-faceted career spanning six decades, Das carried out experiments with various literary forms and techniques. His passing away is a great loss to the literary world, he added.
