Jagannath Prasad Das

Jagannath Prasad Das (26 April 1936 – 3 June 2026) was an Indian writer, poet, painter, playwright and novelist who wrote in Odia.

Background Jagannath Prasad Das was born on 26 April 1936 in Achyutarajpur Sasan village, in the Undivided Puri district of Odisha, into a humble Karan family. He was the third child of renowned author, educationist and translator Sridhar Das and Indu Devi. He studied at Mission School, Cuttack, and Ravenshaw College, and later earned a Master's degree in Political Science from Allahabad University, where he taught for a brief period.

He began his professional career as an Assistant Professor at the University of Allahabad before joining the Indian Administrative Service (IAS). He joined Administrative Service in 1958, during his administrative career, he held several positions in both the Government of Odisha and the Government of India. After taking premature retirement from government service in 1984, he settled in Delhi, where he remained actively involved in the city's cultural and social life.

Jagannath Das passed away on 3 June 2026 at the age of 90.

Translations and editing Besides translating some of his own work in Odia into English, he also translated other works in different languages into both Odia and English. He translated Odia Women Poets’ Work into English (with Arlene Zide), Catherine Clement’s poems from French into English (with the poet), Gulzar’s poems from Urdu into English, Swedish poet Werner Aspenstrom’s poems into Odia, a medieval Odia text Lakshmipurana into English and the poetry of Odia Dalit poet Basudev Sunani into English.

He edited the first-ever anthology of Odia Short Stories in English translation. He has edited an anthology of poetry from different Indian languages (with K.Satchidanandan), and a volume of essays, Films for Children.

Fellowships

Das was awarded the following Fellowships for research and creative writing:

Homi Bhabha Fellow (1979–1981) for research on Pata Paintings of Odisha Emeritus Fellow of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India (1994–1996) K. K. Birla Foundation Fellowship in Comparative Literature (1996–1998)

Awards

Vishuva Award from Pajatantra Prachar Samiti – 1976 and 1984 Odisha Sahitya Akademi Award – 1975 (for Je Jahara Nirjanata) Sahitya Akademi Award – 1990 (for Ahnika). He did not accept the award. Sarala Award – 1998 (for Priya Vidushaka) Nandikar Playwright Award – 2000 Saraswati Samman – 2006 (for Parikrama)

Books by J. P. Das in Odia

Odia poetry Prathama Purusha – 1971 Anya sabu Mrtyu – 1976 Je Jahara Nirjanata – 1979 Anya Desha Bhinna Samaya – 1982 Jatrara Prathama Pada – 1988 Ahnika – 1990 Sthirachitra – 1991 Sacharachara – 1994 Smrtira Sahara – 1995 Parikrama – 1998 Asamaya – 2004 Kabita Samagra – Ink Odisha, Bhubaneswar, – 2011

Odia Short Stories Bhavanatha O Anyamane – 1982 Dinacharya – 1983 Ame Jeunmane – 1986 Sakshatkara – 1986 Priya Bidushaka – 1991 Shesha Paryanta – 1995 Icchhapatra – 2000 Indradhanu, Akhi O Kabitara Dirghajibana – 2009

Odia plays Suryasta Purbaru – 1977 Saba Shesha Loka – 1980 Asangata Nataka – 1981 Purbaraaga – 1983 Sundara Das – 1993

Odia novel Desha Kala Patra – Prachi Prakashan, Bhubaneswar, 1991

Children's literature (Odia)/nonsense rhymes Alimalika – Publication Division, Ministry of I and B, Government of India, 1993 Alukuchi Malukuchi – Lark, 1993/Timepass, Bhubaneswar, 1993 Anabana – Ink Odisha, Bhubaneswar, 2008 Anamana – Timepass, Bhubaneswar, 2016

Translation into Odia Svapna-bichara – 2000

Anthologies of Poetry and Short Stories in Odia Chha'ti Jhia – 1987 Premakabita (poetry) – 1991 Shreshtha Kabita (poetry) – 1993 Purbapara-1 (Samagra Kabita 1970–79) (poetry) – 1995 Purbapara-2 (Samagra Kabita 1980–94) (poetry) – 1996 Rangalipi – 1997 Kathajatra (short stories)- 2000 Kabita Samagra (poetry) – 2011 Shreshtha Galpa (short stories) – 2014

Books by J. P. Das in English Research works Puri Paintings: The Chitrakara and His Work, Arnold-Heinemann, 1982 Chitra-Pothi: Illustrated Palm-leaf Manuscripts, Arnold-Heinemann, 1985 Palm-leaf Miniatures (with Joanna Williams), Abhinav Publications, 1991

Essays Reflections on Literature and Culture, Sikshasandhan, 2009

Works edited Oriya Short Stories, Vikas Publishing House, 1983 Films for Children, Vikas Publishing House, 1987 Kavita 93 (with K. Satchidanandan), Virgo Publications, 1993

Works translated Growing an Indian Star (with Catherine Clement), Vikas Publishing House, 1991 Under a Silent Sun (with Arlene Zide), Vikas Publishing House, 1992 Autumn Moon, Rupa Publishing House, 1999

Books by Das translated into English First Person – Tr: Deba Patnaik, Arnold-Heinemann, 1976 Love is a Season – Tr: Poet, Arnold-Heinemann, 1978 Timescapes – Tr: Poet, Arnold-Heinemann, 1980 Silences – Tr: Poet, Vikas, 1989 Diurnal Rites – Tr: H. Panda, Sahitya Akademi, 1994 The Unreal City – Tr: Durga P. Panda, Har Anand, 1997 Lovelines – Tr: Poet with Paul St-Pierre, Virgo, 2001 Alimalika – Tr: Poet, Writers Workshop, 2004 Dark Times – Tr: Poet with Paul St-Pierre, Virgo, 2004 Poems – Tr: Poet, Grassroots, 2004 Nanasense – Tr: Sumanyu Satpathy, NBT, 2013

Short stories The Magic Deer – Tr: Author, Vikas, 1983 The Forbidden Street – Tr: Author, Vikas, 1988 Spider's Web – Tr: KK. & Leelawati Mahapatra, Vikas, 1990 The Prostitute – Tr: Bibhuti Mishra and others, Har Anand, 1995 The Pukka Sahib – Tr: Bikram K Das, Harper Collins, 2001 Stories – Tr: Paul St-Pierre, Leela and K K Mahapatra, Grassroots, 2003 Dear Jester – Tr: R K Swain and Paul St-Pierre, Rupa, 2004 The Will – Tr: Ashok Mohanty, Sahitya Akademi, 2007

Plays Before the Sunset – Tr: Author, Arnold-Heinemnn, 1978 Two Plays – Tr: Author, Writers Workshop, 1983 The Underdog – Tr: Ravi Baswani, Vikas, 1984 Absurd Play – Tr: Author, Writers Workshop, 1989 Sundardas – Tr. Paul St-Pierre and others, NSD and Har Anand, 2002 Miss X – Tr: Author, Rupa, 2002

Novel A Time Elsewhere – Tr: Jatindra K. Nayak, Penguin, 2009

Collections of his works by others J. P. Das Omnibus, Ed: Paul St. Peirre, Har-Anand, 2012 Complete Plays, Ed: N. K. Bhattacharjee, Har-Anand, 2012 Selected Short Stories, Ed: Mauricio Aguilera, Har-Anand, 2013 Selected Poems, Har-Anand, 2014

Books on J. P. Das Words on Canvas: J.P.Das and His Work – ed. Ganeswar Mishra (Orissa Lalit Kala Akademi, 2005) Srijan Jatra (Odia) – by Ganeswar Mishra (Vidyapuri, Cuttack, 2010) Priya JP (Odia) – ed. Sumanyu Satpathy (Shiksha Sandhan, Bhubaneswar, 2011) Jagannath Prasad: Bandhutara Aasara (Odia) – ed. Ganeswar Mishra (Timepass, Bhubaneswar, 2013) Bahudha (Odia) – by Sumanyu Satpathy, 2014 "Bharatiyatara Anweshi JAGANNATH PRASAD DAS" (Odia) – Translated and Edited by Dr Rabinarayan Moharana (Lark Books, Bhubaneswar, 2014) "Mukhashala" (Odia) – Compiled and Translated by Dr Rabinarayan Moharana (Ink Odisha, Bhubaneswar, 2015) "JP JIBANEE" (Odia) – A biography of Dr Jagannath Prasad Das. The book is written by Dr Rabinarayan Moharana and has been published under the auspices of Utkal Sahitya Samaj, Cuttack and by M/s Jagannath Rath, Binod Bihari, Cuttack (Odisha). First Edition : 2019. "Jane JP Aneka Jeebana" (Odia)- A biography of JP, a multifaced literary person of Odisha. This book is written by Dr Rabinarayan Moharana and has been published by Pakshighara Prakashanee, Bhubaneswar. First Edition : 2021