Gourahari Das

Gourahari Das (born 9 October 1960) is an Indian creative writer, journalist and academician.

Life Born in 1960, in a back of the beyond village in the district of Bhadrak (formerly a part of Balasore) of state Odisha in India, Das grew up with keen eyes of observation and sensibility which shaped his creative being.

He had a very difficult childhood and had to struggle hard to get education. He had to leave his home at the age of eight and live in a monastery. A scholarship helped him to further his school education. After his school education, he came to Cuttack and took up variety of works to support his studies. He worked during dayhours and studied in evening colleges. He completed BA from Ravenshaw Evening College Cuttack. Subsequently, he did his master's degree in Odia language and literature from Utkal University. Later he studied MJMC and was awarded a gold medal. He holds a Ph.D. from Utkal University too.

A recipient of Sahitya Akademi Award, India, Das is a creative writer, editor and columnist. His first book “ Juara Bhatta” which is a collection of short stories, was published in 1981 when he was still pursuing his studies in Ravenshaw Evening College. Besides writing fictions he also writes regular columns in newspaper SAMBAD which are very popular. He is also the recipient of prestigious Koraput Literary Award 2019, from Odia Media Private Limited, the organiser of Koraput Literary Festival.

Career He joined in SAMBAD (the largest Daily of Odisha) in 1985 as a trainee sub-editor and rose up to become an editor of this Media House. His long association with Sambad Group gave him an opportunity to explore his multi-faceted talent. He started writing his popular columns “Jibanara Jalachhabi” ( Vignetts of Life) and “ Rajadhani Rajaniti” ( Power Politics of the Capital) in this newspaper which brought him prominence. While the first one is a creative commentary on human life the later is a political satire. Later he became the editor of KATHA (the fiction monthly of Sambad Group). He is also the principal of Sambad School of Media and Culture, a pioneer media institute affiliated to Utkal University of Culture since 2007.

Creative journey Gourahari started writing short stories from very early age. In fact his first short story "Kshinaloka" was published in the magazine 'Kalyani' when he was only 15 years old. Soon he took up writing seriously and to date he has more than 51 books to his credit. These include novels, short stories, essays, plays, poems, translations and vignettes. He has also written travelogues on US, Sweden and China.

As a journalist he has devoted much of his energy in eradicating superstition such as witchcraft and animal sacrifice. His comments on certain practices at Sri Jagannath temple at Puri and other places of worship have put him in the bracket of journalists with conviction. His column "Odisha Diary" which appears in special occasions is a popular one in Odisha.

Other activities He is associated with Sahitya Akademi (India's highest body of letters) since 2008- first as a member of Odia advisory board and then a member of executive board and general council.

He is associated with a number of socio-cultural organizations of Odisha which work for betterment of human life and building better society. He is the president of Shatabdira Kalajkar, a leading theatre group of Odisha and advisor of Trishakti Mahila Samiti, a prominent women's organization. Besides he is a member of Utkal Sahitya Samaj, the oldest cultural body of Odisha. He was a member of Regional Film Censor Board from 2012 to 2015.

Travel He has traveled different countries and participated in cultural exchange programmes. He visited the United States in 1996 and again in 2000 to deliver speeches at Annual Conference of OSA. (Odisha Society of Americas) in Washington, D.C., and Nashvalley. He had been to China in 2002 as a Member of Indian Writers Delegation and participated in Frankfurt Book Fair, Germany in 2014. He has visited Sweden, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, France, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Switzerland, Italy, Belgium and Austria.

Selected works Source:

Novels Chhayasoudhara Abasesha 1996 Nija Sange Nijara Ladhei1999 Eithu Arambha 2005 Apananka Angyadhina 2010 Kete Rangara Jibana 2013

Short story collections Akhada Ghara Swapna Pain Rati Kahin Bharatabarsha Maati Kandhei Maaya Sesha Baji Punarabrutti Ghara Kagajadanga Ahalyara Bahaghara Mathurara Manachitra Kanta O Anyanya Galpa Analeuta O Anyanya Galpa

Vignettes Jibanara Jalachhabi Chinha Chouhadi Bhinna Bhumika Parichita Paridhi Asamartha Ishwara Hatalekha Chithi

Plays Aparadha Asami (in press) Maya

Poems Paunshara Pandulipi

Essays Odisha Diary Kahara Odisha Kathabarta Katha Sarinahin

Editing Piladina Prema Suryastara Ranga Karmayogi Phakiracharan Bhala Galpa: Bhumi O Bhumika Swadhinottara Odia Kshudragalpa Odia Galpa: Kali, Aji O Kali

Travelogues Pratham Prabash Dui Diganta Chinha Achinha Chin

Translation Yashpalnka Kahanimala Mitro Marjani Bhagaban Rajanish Sehisabu Piladina Gotie Jiban Jathesta Nuhen Chheli Charaibar Dina

Books in Hindi Door Akash Ka Pancchi Mathuraka Manachitra Kanhu Ka Ghar ( In Press)

Books in English The Little Monk and Other stories Koraput and Other Stories (in press)

Adaptations Many of his stories has been adapted as TV films directed by Nirad Mahapatra, Basant Sahu, Dhira Mallik, Nandalal Mahapatra and telecast on DD, ETV and other TV channels. His stories such as "Asami", "Maya", "Shikuli" have been made into stage plays and directed by Dhira Mallik, Pabitra Mohanty, Darpa Sethi and Ajit Dash.

Inspired from his short story, Bapa a movie Pratikshya has been made.

Awards

Sahitya Akademi, India-2012 Odisha Sahitya Akademi -2001 Koraput Sahitya Samman -2019 (during the annual Koraput Literary Festival organised by Odia Media Private Limited) Odisha Living Legend Award-2014 Sangeet Natak Akademi Recognition-2001 Utkal Sahitya Samaj Samman, Sambalpur University Award Sahitya Bharati Young Writer Award Fakirmohan Sahitya Parishad Samman Bhubaneswar Book Fair Award Katha Gourav Award Kanika Gourav Award and many more Sahitya Akademi Translation Prize for his translation Chheli Charaibar Dina. Sarala Award 2022 for short story collection 'Bagha O Anyanya Galpa'.

Fellowship Senior Fellowship of Ministry of Culture, India-2011 Writer in Residency, Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi-2010 Junior Fellowship of Ministry of Culture, India

Other associations Member of executive committee of Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi 2013–2017 Member of Odia advisory board of Sahitya Akademi, 2008–2017 Member of Regional Film Censor Board 2012–2016 President, Satabdira Kalakar, (premier theatre group of Odisha) since 2014 Director, News of KANAK TV 2009-2011 Principal, Sambad School of Media and Culture since 2007

Comments on his stories Short stories of Gourahari show deep insight into human nature and the resilience of the human spirit. –Ruskin Bond

Gourahari Das sensitively chronicles the lives of the characters, and deftly probes their motives as they face life's exigencies, deal with moral dilemmas, experience crises of survival, or simply try to cope with the complicated business of living. – Jatin Nayak