Selected Stories of Manindra Kumar Meher

Prof. Manindra Kumar Meher is the great-grandson of Odisha’s renowned poet Gangadhar Meher. He has been associated with teaching Odia language and literature in college and university levels since last 35 years. He has earned a sky-scraping reputation and popularity as a student-loving teacher with student-centric pedagogies, a seasoned writer as well as an ideal and skilled organizer. He is the creator of 35 volumes of notable writings on a variety of subject matters. His approach is unique in the field of writing Odia Short stories with a tender touch of individual experiences and experiments. We strongly believe that this volume of English translation of his finest short stories will certainly draw the attention and fascination of the passionate readers in national and international levels. The translator of all these stories is an experienced and senior lecturer of English Literature, one of the best students of the author Mrs. Kalyani Panda. With the power of earnest devotion and gratitude towards her teacher and an irresistible urge to discharge her obligations, she has taken a courageous step to internally connect herself with the stories of Dr. Meher and present them before the lovers of English literature. This special short story volume has become radiant with the incredible literary flair of this competent writer and translator who is not greedy of popularity and therefore keeps her proficiency hidden from the knowledge of general public. We are quite confident that the author and the translator both will glitter as transparent dewdrops in the contemporary vicinity of world literature.

Mrs. Kalyani Panda is working as a PGT in English at DAV Public School, Chandrasekharpur, Bhubaneswar. She started her teaching career in 2000 after qualifying her Post-Graduation from Sambalpur University. Apart from teaching, she has a keen interest in singing and writing which she considers her two great passions of life. She was first inspired by Dr. Meher, her Odia teacher and the author of this book, to write articles for Basanti, the wall magazine of Barpali College. After that she continued her zeal for writing. During her 22 years of teaching career, she has written a number of articles both in English and Odia most of which have been published in school magazines and newspapers like the Instinct, Kusumayani, the Pioneer, the New Indian Express, Nirbhaya, Dhwani Pratidhwani and Nitidina. Having flair for writing, she has also edited numerous publications. She considers the blessings of her parents, teachers, family members and above all the Almighty as the real asset of her life.