Mukunda Deb

Pandit Godabarisha Mishra (26 October 1886 – 26 July 1956) is a versatile genius and prolific writer. He has contributed significantly to Odia literature. He was a teacher, litterateur, social reformer, editor, legislator, minister, and an architect of modern Odisha. He played a stellar role in the establishment of Utkal University, the Odisha High court and various colleges in Puri, Baleshwar and Sambalpur districts and conversion of medical school of Cuttack into a medical college. He was a poet, novelist, playwright, short story writer and a biographer. As a poet he enormously used the lyric and the ballad.His poetry is based on history and legends and a complete reflection of his romantic persona in the opinion of Dr. Mayadhar Mansingh. His Alekhika (1923) is a collection of his ten magnificent ballads that includes his famous ballad “Kalijai”. His collection poems like Chayanika, Kalika (1921), Kishalaya (1922), Geetayana and Geetiguchha (1957) are treasure troves of lyric poetry. His lyrics depict nationalism, social awareness, beauty of rural life and empathy for human beings. He has authored four novels: Ghatantar, Abhagini, Athar Saha Satar and Nirbasit. Abhagini deals with the conflicts of Banki and Khordha with the British during 1840. Athar Saha Satar (1817) delineates the Paika Mutiny of Khordha and the dedication of the glorious patriot, Buxi Jagabandhu.His oeuvre is enriched by two historical plays: Purushottam Deb (1917) and Mukunda Deb (1920). These plays are vibrant with history, humanity and patriotism. He has written these to historical plays to make the people of Odisha during the British rule aware of their glorious past and inspire them with patriotic emotions.

Bhagabat Nath is a retired Senior Reader in English. He had his M.A. and Ph.D. from the Utkal University, Odisha and served in various Government colleges of Odisha. He retired from Kuntala Kumari Sabat Women’s College, Balasore, Odisha in 2009. After retirement on superannuation, he worked as the Principal of Innovation: The B-School, Bhubaneswar for five years and a visiting faculty in English at the Ravenshaw University, Cuttack for seven years. His area of interest is Indian Writing in English, Twentieth Century Literary Criticism and Translation Studies. He is at present taking avid interest in translating Odia Historical Plays into English and English Short Stories into Odia.