Manoj Das

Kendra Sahitya Akademi has bestowed its highest award (also India's highest literary award) i.e Sahitya Akademi Award Fellowship. In 1971, through extensive research conducted in the archives of London and Edinburgh, he uncovered lesser-known aspects of India's freedom struggle during the early 1900s, led by Sri Aurobindo. This significant contribution earned him the inaugural Sri Aurobindo Puraskar in Kolkata. His pursuit of deeper understanding eventually led him to mysticism, becoming a resident of [Sri Aurobindo Ashram] in Puducherry in 1963. During his time there, he imparted knowledge in English Literature and the Philosophy of [Sri Aurobindo] at the Sri Aurobindo International University.

The recorded working language is English and Odia. Works named in the authority record are Dhumrabha Diganta, Amruta Phala, Abu Purush O Anyanya Kahani, Adura Bidesa, Manojdasank Katha O Kahani and Chilika Hrada. Distinctions recorded are Sahitya Akademi Award in Odia, Saraswati Samman, Atibadi Jagannath Das award and Sarala Puraskar.

• Name — Manoj Das • Native Name — Manoj Kumar Das • Born — 27 February 1934 • Birthplace — Sankhari, Balasore, Odisha, India • Died — 27 April 2021 • Place of death — Puducherry • Education — Samanta Chandra Shekhar College, Puri Ravenshaw College • Occupation — Writer, columnist, editor, professor • Notable Works — Cyclones A Tiger at Twilight Mystery of the Missing Cap Myths, Legends, Concepts and Literary Antiquities of India • Spouse — Pratijina Devi • Awards — Padma Shri Padma Bhusan Sahitya Akademi Fellowship Saraswati Samman • Website — worldofmanojdas.in • Genre — Fiction, mythology, biography

Das was born in the small coastal village, Balasore of odisha. His father, Madhusudan Das, worked under British Government. He had started writing early. His first work a book of poetry in Odia, Satavdira Artanada was published in 1949 when he was in high school. He launched a literary magazine, Diganta in 1950. He graduated high school in 1951. His first collection of short stories Samudrara Kshyudha (Hunger of Sea) was in that year. He was active in student politics while studying BA at Cuttack College. He was a youth leader with radical views in his college days and spent a year in jail for his revolutionary activities. In 1959 he was a delegate to the Afro-Asian students' conference at Bandung, Indonesia. He did not complete his degree in Cuttack. He ultimately finished his graduation from Samanta Chandra Shekhar College, Puri in 1955. During his college years, he kept on writing and published a novel Jeebanara Swada, a collection of short stories Vishakanyar Kahani and a collection of poems Padadhawani. After graduating with a degree in English literature, he got a post-graduate degree in English literature from Ravenshaw College. After a short stint as a lecturer at Christ College (Cuttack), he joined Sri Aurobindo Ashram at Puducherry. Since 1963, he has been professor of English Literature at Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education, Puducherry. He cited Fakir Mohan Senapati, Vyasa, and Valmiki as early influences.

Das edited a cultural magazine, The Heritage, published from Chennai in 1985-1989. The magazine is no longer in circulation. He wrote columns on quest for finding eternal truth in common lives in India’s national dailies like The Times of India, The Hindustan Times, The Hindu and The Statesman.

Das was a bilingual Odia writer, writing both English and Odia short stories and novels. Das has been compared to Vishnu Sharma, in modern Odia literature for his style Over the years many research scholars have done their doctoral thesis on the works of Manoj Das, P. Raja being the first scholar to do so.

Among the other important positions that Das held were, Member, General Council, Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi 1998–2002, and Author-consultant, Ministry of Education, Government of Singapore, 1983–85. He was the leader of the Indian delegation of writers to China (1999).

Novels • The Escapist, 2001 • Tandralokara Prahari, 2000 • Aakashra Isara, 1997 • Amruta Phala, 1996 (Saraswati Samman) • A Tiger at Twilight, 1991 • Bulldozers and Fables and Fantasies for Adults, (1990) • Cyclones, 1987 • Prabhanjana • Godhulira Bagha • Kanaka-Upatyakara Kahani • Amruta phala • Sesha tantrikara sandhanare Short Story Collections • Upakatha Sataka • Abu Purusha • Sesa Basantara Chithi, 1966 • Manoj Dasanka Katha O Kahani, 1971 • Dhumabha Diganta O Anyana Kahani, 1971 • The Crocodile's Lady: A Collection of Stories, 1975 • Manoj-pancha-bimsati, 1977 • The Submerged Valley and Other Stories, 1986 • Farewell to a Ghost: Short Stories and a Novelette, 1994 • Legend of the Golden Valley, 1996 • Samudra-kulara Eka Grama (Balya Smruti), 1996 • Aranyaka; (adapted to Aranyaka, 1994) • Bhinna Manisha O Anyana Kahani • Abupurusha O Anyana Kahani • Lakshmira Abhisara • Abolakara Kahani • Aranya Ullasha • Selected Fiction, • Chasing the Rainbow: growing up in an Indian village, 2004 Travelogue • Keta Diganta (Part I) • Keta Diganta (Part -II) • Antaranga Bharata (Part I) (My Little India) • Antaranga Bharata (Part II) • Dura-durantara • Adura Bidesh – 2004 Poetry • Tuma Gaan O Anyanya Kabita, 1992 • Kabita Utkala History & Culture • Bharatara Aitihya: Shateka Prashnara Uttara, 1999 • Manoj Das Paribesita Upakatha Shataka (Tales Told by Mystics), 2002 • Mahakalara Prahelika O Anyana Jijnansa, 2006 • Jibana Jijnasa o Smaraika Stabaka • Prajna Pradeepika

Graham Greene once said, "I have read the stories of Manoj Das with great pleasure. He will certainly take a place on my shelves besides the stories of Narayan. I imagine Odisha is far from Malgudi, but there is the same quality in his stories with perhaps an added mystery."

The canonical record carries the following identifying particulars.

Works recorded as notable number 6: Dhumrabha Diganta, Amruta Phala, Abu Purush O Anyanya Kahani, Adura Bidesa, Manojdasank Katha O Kahani and Chilika Hrada.