Odia writer Lalatendu Sahoo has been selected for the Sixth Akshaya Upanyasa Puraskar for his novel Ghata Muhaan Danga
OdishaPlus Bureau
Odia writer Dr Lalatendu Sahoo has been selected for the Sixth Akshaya Upanyasa Puraskar for his novel Ghata Muhaan Danga, the PratibhaRay Foundation Trust announced.
Published by Pakshighar Prakashanee in 2023, the novel explores conflict, social upheaval, and the impact of extraordinary circumstances on ordinary lives. It explores themes of human dignity, moral choices, social change, and resilience.
The metaphor of a boat moving towards the riverbank forms a central motif in the novel, representing a journey through turbulence towards reckoning, transformation and renewal.
Sahoo is a prolific writer whose works include the novels Ek Apahruta Calling Bell-ra Samadhi and Anachaasa Pabana, the short-story collection Lalatendunka Galpa Shataka and Ghata Muhaan Danga. He has also written the English novel Frozen Fire. His writings have appeared in newspapers and literary publications.
The award, instituted in memory of Akshaya Chandra Ray, founder of Adya Prakashani, seeks to recognise significant contributions to Odia novel writing. It is associated with the literary legacy of writer Pratibha Ray, President of the PratibhaRay Foundation Trust.
The selection of Ghata Muhaan Danga is aimed at recognising contemporary Odia fiction that engages with social realities and human experiences through the medium of the novel.