Jayanta Mahapatra passes away, CM declares State funeral

Cuttack: Indo-Anglian poet Jayanta Mahapatra breathed his last on Sunday while undergoing treatment at SCB Medical College and Hospital (MCH) in Odisha’s Cuttack city.

The 95-year-old poet was admitted to the hospital on August 4 due old age-related ailments and was later shifted to the ICU as his condition deteriorated.

There was some improvement in his health condition since then but he passed away around 9 pm, SCBMCH emergency officer Bhubanananda Maharna informed.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday expressed deep grief and sorrow on the passing away of Indo-Anglian poet and Padma awardee Jayanta Mohapatra. Mourning his death, the CM described him as a legendary author and poet, who was a genius in both English and Odia literature. “He had successfully elevated the reach of Odia literature to a wider circle. His intellect and knowledge was a guiding spirit for many youngsters to write in English literature.”

“His mellifluous words will continue to weave their magic reminding us of the power of human expression. The vivid imagery of his writings about daily life, particularly drawn from Cuttack, will always remain a rich encapsulation of Odia life,” the CM added.

Naveen announced that the late poet will be laid to rest with full state honours on Monday.

The bilingual poet from Odisha is known for his collections like Waiting and A Rain of Rites which explore his memories, doubts and life experiences. He is the first Indian writer in English to receive the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1981 for his poem Relationship. In May 2019, he also became the first Indian English poet to become a Fellow of the Sahitya Akademi.

He was conferred with a Padma Shri in 2009 but returned the award in 2015 as a mark of protest against the “growing intolerance” in the country.

Mahapatra was born on October 22, 1928, into a prominent family in Cuttack. He received his early education from Stewart School here and completed MSc in Physics from Patna, Bihar. His career began as a lecturer in physics in 1949 and served at various government colleges in Odisha, including erstwhile Gangadhar Meher College, Sambalpur, BJB College, Bhubaneswar, Fakir Mohan College, Balasore, and Ravenshaw College, Cuttack. He retired from service as a Reader in Physics in 1986. He started his writing career in the late sixties.