Ramakanta Rath, a celebrated Odia poet and Padma Bhushan awardee, leaves behind a legacy of modern literary classics, along with a distinguished career as Odisha’s Chief Secretary
OdishaPlus Bureau
Renowned Odia poet and former bureaucrat Ramakanta Rath passed away at his home in the early hours of Sunday at the age of 91. Family members reported that he had been in poor health for the past six months, with his condition worsening over the last month. He passed away at 4:30 am. His cremation is scheduled to take place at Swargadwar in Puri on Monday.
In expressing sorrow over the loss of the esteemed Odia poet, scholar, and former President of Sahitya Akademi, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced that Rath’s final rites would be performed with full state honors.
The Chief Minister praised the Padma Bhushan awardee as one of the most exceptional poets in Indian literature. “Rath’s enduring works, such as ‘Saptama Ritu’, ‘Sriradha,’ ‘Sachitra Andhara’, ‘Kete Dinara’, and ‘Duar Epatu’, have solidified his legacy in the literary realm. In addition to his literary contributions, Rath significantly influenced the development of the state, having served as Secretary in various departments and as the Chief Secretary of Odisha. His dedication to elevating Odia literature to national and international prominence is unmatched,” Majhi stated.
Rath, who was born on December 13, 1934, in Cuttack, earned his master’s degree in English from the former Ravenshaw College and entered the Indian Administrative Service in 1957. His debut poetry collection, titled ‘Kete Dinara,’ was published in 1962. For his significant contributions to literature, he has been honored with the Padma Bhushan award, along with numerous other literary accolades, including the Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award, Saraswati Samman, Sahitya Bharati Samman, Kabir Samman, and Bishuba Samman.
In 2018, he was awarded the Atibadi Jagannath Das Samman in recognition of his contributions to Odia literature.
His most notable work, ‘Sriradha,’ earned him the esteemed Saraswati Samman in 1992 and is regarded as a modern classic. Other notable literary contributions include ‘Kete Dinara,’ ‘Sripalataka,’ ‘Anek Kothari,’ ‘Sandigdh Mrugaya,’ ‘Saptama Rutu,’ ‘Sachitra Andhaar,’ ‘Simanta Basa,’ ‘Pheri Chahinle,’ and ‘Sabudina Sepakhe.’
His writings have been translated into English and various Indian languages.
