Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik condoles demise of legendary poet Jayanta Mahapatra
Aug 27, 2023
Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], August 28 : Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday expressed deep grief on the passing away of literary figure Jayanta Mahapatra and expressed his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family of the renowned author and poet.
The chief minister took to his social media platform 'X' and said that the demise of the acclaimed poet would leave an irreparable void in the literary world and that he will always be remembered for his unique creativity in Odia and English literature.
The CM also wished peace and tranquillity for the departed soul.
"I am saddened to know about the passing away of Jayanta Mahapatra, a literary figure. This is an irreparable void in the literary world. His unique creativity in both Odia and English literature will always immortalize him. May the great writer's soul rest in peace. I express my condolences to the bereaved family," said the Odisha CM on 'X'.
Acclaimed poet and litterateur, Jayanta Mahapatra passed away on Sunday at the age of 95 while undergoing treatment at the Srirama Chandra Bhanja (SCB) Medical College and Hospital in Odisha's Cuttack.
Mahapatra was the first Indian poet to win a Sahitya Akademi (the fourth highest civilian honour in India) award for English poetry.
He authored poems such as 'Indian Summer' and 'Hunger', which are regarded as classics in modern Indian English literature.
The poet was conferred the Padma Shri in 2009 for his contribution to literature. However, he returned the award in 2015.
Born on 22 October 1928, into a prominent Odia Christian family, Mahapatra went to school in Cuttack, Odisha. He began his teaching career as a lecturer in physics and taught at various government colleges in Odisha.
He began his writing career in the late sixties. His short stories and poems were initially rejected by several publishers, until his poems were published in international literary journals.
Mahapatra authored 27 books on poems, of which seven are in Odia and the rest in English.
