Eminent litterateur Binapani Mohanty passes away

Eminent Odia litterateur and poet Binapani Mohanty passed away on Sunday. She was 85.

She breathed her last at her residence in Cuttack due to age-related complications, her family said.  

A professor in Economics, Mohanty has more than 100 books to her credit. She was the younger sister of eminent doctor Nirupama Rath and advocate Sachinadanda Mohanty, both of whom have passed away.

She was conferred with Padma Shri in Literature and Education category in 2020 and received the prestigious 'Atibadi Jagannath Das Samman'. Besides, she was also honoured with Sahitya Akademi Award and Sarala Samman.

Mohanty received the Sahitya Akademi award in 1990 for her collection of short stories entitled 'Pata Dei and other stories.'  'Patadei' was published as 'Lata' in Femina in 1986. Its Hindi dramatisation 'Kashmakash', telecast on Doordarshan, in the late 1980s was a hit. She wrote three novels and translated Russian folktales to Odia.

Mohanty’s career began with the publication of ‘Gotie Ratira Kahani’ in 1960. Some of her best known stories are Pata Dei, Khela Ghara, Naiku Rasta, Bastraharana, Andhakarara, Kasturi Murga O Sabuja Aranya and Michhi Michhika.

Besides, many of Mohanty’s short stories have been translated to other Indian languages. She has also translated a large number of books from Hindi and English. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Odisha Governor Professor Ganeshi Lal, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, BJP National Vice President Baijayant Panda and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan have expressed grief over the demise of the noted writer.

Taking to Twitter, PM Modi condoled the death of the noted writer and wrote, "Pained by the passing away of noted writer Binapani Mohanty Ji. She made monumental contributions to Odia literature, especially fiction writing. Her works have been translated in various languages and attained great popularity. Condolences to her family and admirers. Om Shanti."

ଖ୍ୟାତନାମା ଲେଖିକା ବୀଣାପାଣି ମହାନ୍ତିଙ୍କ ଦେହାନ୍ତ ଖବର ଶୁଣି ଦୁଃଖିତ । ଓଡ଼ିଆ ସାହିତ୍ୟ ବିଶେଷ ଭାବରେ ଗଳ୍ପ ଓ ଉପନ୍ୟାସ ରଚନା କ୍ଷେତ୍ରରେ ତାଙ୍କର ଅବଦାନ ଅତୁଳନୀୟ । ଅନ୍ୟ ଭାଷାରେ ଅନୁବାଦିତ ତାଙ୍କର ସୃଷ୍ଟି ବେଶ୍ ଲୋକପ୍ରିୟତା ହାସଲ କରିଛି । ତାଙ୍କର ପରିବାର ଓ ପ୍ରଶଂସକଙ୍କୁ ସମବେଦନା ।
ଓଁ ଶାନ୍ତି ।

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 24, 2022

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expressed grief, saying it was an irreparable loss for the Odia literature world.

"She will always remain in the hearts of the people for her literary works. I express my condolence to the bereaved family members," he said.

Patnaik said that her funeral will be held with full state honours.

ବିଶିଷ୍ଟ ସାହିତ୍ୟିକା ବୀଣାପାଣି ମହାନ୍ତିଙ୍କ ଦେହାନ୍ତ ବିଷୟରେ ଜାଣି ମୁଁ ଦୁଃଖିତ। ଏହା ଓଡ଼ିଆ ସାହିତ୍ୟ ଜଗତ ପାଇଁ ଏକ ଅପୂରଣୀୟ କ୍ଷତି। ତାଙ୍କ କାଳଜୟୀ ସୃଜନସୃଷ୍ଟି ପାଇଁ ପାଠକଙ୍କ ହୃଦୟରେ ସେ ସର୍ବଦା ସ୍ମରଣୀୟ ରହିବେ। ତାଙ୍କ ଅମର ଆତ୍ମାର ସଦଗତି କାମନା କରିବା ସହ ଶୋକସନ୍ତପ୍ତ ପରିବାରବର୍ଗଙ୍କ ପ୍ରତି ମୋର ସମବେଦନା ଜଣାଉଛି।

— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) April 24, 2022

Condoling her death, Governor Ganeshi Lal said she enriched Odia literature in many ways.

ବିଶିଷ୍ଟ ଲେଖିକା ପଦ୍ମଶ୍ରୀ ବୀଣାପାଣି ମହାନ୍ତିଙ୍କ ପରଲୋକରେ ମାନ୍ୟବର ରାଜ୍ୟପାଳ ଗଭୀର ଶୋକ ପ୍ରକାଶ କରିଛନ୍ତି l ଓଡ଼ିଆ ସାହିତ୍ୟକୁ ସେ ବହୁ ଭାବରେ ସମୃଦ୍ଧ କରିଛନ୍ତି ଏବଂ ତାଙ୍କର ସୃଷ୍ଟି ମାଧ୍ୟମରେ ସେ ଚିର ସ୍ମରଣୀୟ ରହିବେ ବୋଲି କହିବା ସହ ମର ଆତ୍ମାର ସଦ୍ଗତି କାମନା କରିଛନ୍ତି l

ଓଁ ଶାନ୍ତି 🙏🙏

— Governor Odisha (@GovernorOdisha) April 24, 2022

BJP National Vice President Baijayant Panda said, "She will be remembered for her contribution to the Odia literature.".

ବିଶିଷ୍ଟ ସାହିତ୍ୟିକା, ପ୍ରତିଷ୍ଠିତ ଅତିବଡ଼ୀ ଜଗନ୍ନାଥ ଦାସ ପୁରସ୍କାରରେ ସମ୍ମାନିତ, 'ପାଟଦେଈ' ପଦ୍ମଶ୍ରୀ ବୀଣାପାଣି ମହାନ୍ତିଙ୍କ ଦେହାନ୍ତ ଖବର ଶୁଣି ମୁଁ ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ ଦୁଃଖିତ । ଓଡ଼ିଆ ସାହିତ୍ୟ ଜଗତକୁ ତାଙ୍କର ଅତୁଳନୀୟ ଅବଦାନ ପାଇଁ ସେ ଚିର ସ୍ମରଣୀୟ ହୋଇ ରହିବେ। ଶୋକସନ୍ତପ୍ତ ପରିବାର ବର୍ଗଙ୍କୁ ମୋର ଗଭୀର ସମବେଦନା ।
ଓଁ ଶାନ୍ତି 🙏🙏 pic.twitter.com/PWtuJWLHEE

— Baijayant Panda Odia (@Panda_Odia) April 24, 2022

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan termed the noted writer's demise as an irreparable loss.

ଓଡ଼ିଶାର ପ୍ରଖ୍ୟାତ କଥାଶିଳ୍ପୀ ପଦ୍ମଶ୍ରୀ ବୀଣାପାଣି ମହାନ୍ତିଙ୍କ ବିୟୋଗ ଖବର ଶୁଣି ମୁଁ ଦୁଃଖିତ ଓ ମର୍ମାହତ । ନିଜର ଉତ୍କୃଷ୍ଟ ଗଳ୍ପ ଓ ଉପନ୍ୟାସ ପାଇଁ ସେ ଓଡ଼ିଆ ସାହିତ୍ୟର ସର୍ବୋଚ୍ଚ ପୁରସ୍କାର ଅତିବଡ଼ି ଜଗନ୍ନାଥ ଦାସ, ସାହିତ୍ୟ ଏକାଡ଼େମୀ ଏବଂ ସାରଳା ସମ୍ମାନରେ ସମ୍ମାନିତ ହୋଇଛନ୍ତି ।

— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) April 24, 2022