:Pratibha Ray

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{{Infobox writer

| name = Pratibha Ray

| image = Pratibha Ray at World Odia Language Conference.jpg

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| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1944|01|21}}

| birth_place = Alabol, Balikuda, Jagatsinghpur, Odisha, India

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| language = Odia

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| education = M.A. (Education), PhD (Educational Psychology){{cite web |url= http://www.languageinindia.com/july2009/pratibhashortstory.html |title=Language in India |first=Varun |last=Gulati |work=languageinindia.com |year=2009|quote=an M.A. in Education and PhD in Educational Psychology. |access-date=28 December 2012}}

| alma_mater = Ravenshaw College

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| notableworks = Yajnaseni, Shilapadma

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| awards = Jnanpith Award
Moortidevi Award

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| website = {{URL|http://pratibharay.org/}}

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Pratibha Ray (born 21 January 1944) is an Indian academic and writer of Odia-language novels and stories. For her contribution to the Indian literature, Ray received the Jnanpith Award in 2011. She was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2022.{{cite web | url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhubaneswar/odisha-noted-writer-pratibha-ray-nominated-for-padma-bhushan-six-others-from-state-to-get-padma-shri/articleshow/89122937.cms | title=Odisha: Noted writer Pratibha Ray nominated for Padma Bhushan, six others from state to get Padma Shri | publisher=The Times of India | work=Minati Singha | date=26 January 2022 | access-date=26 January 2022}}

Life and career

She was born on 21 January 1944, at Alabol, a remote village in the Balikuda area of Jagatsinghpur district formerly part of Cuttack district of Odisha state.{{cite web |url= http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/odia-writer-pratibha-ray-named-for-jnanpith-award/1/239724.html |title=Odia writer Pratibha Ray named for Jnanpith Award : East, News|work=India Today |year=2012 |quote=She was born to a Gandhian teacher on January 21, 1943, at Alabol village. |access-date=28 December 2012}}

She was the first woman to win the Moortidevi Award in 1991.{{cite web |url= http://www.hindu.com/lr/2007/04/01/stories/2007040100260600.htm |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070430184456/http://www.hindu.com/lr/2007/04/01/stories/2007040100260600.htm |url-status= dead |archive-date= 30 April 2007 |title=Literary Review / Personality : 'The sky is not the limit' |first=Hariharan |last=Balakrishnan|year=2007 |quote=first woman to win the Jnanpith Moorti Devi Award. |work= The Hindu |access-date=28 December 2012}}

Her first novel Barsha Basanta Baishakha (1974){{cite web |url=http://www.orissadiary.com/ShowOriyaOrbit.asp?id=38514 |title=Odisha: Eminent fiction writer Dr Pratibha Ray to receive coveted Jnanpith Award, Oriya Orbit |work=orissadiary.com |year=2012 |quote=her first novel as a novice, titled "Barsha-Basanta-Baishakha" (The Rain, Spring and Summer, 1974) which immediately captured the hearts of Odia readers. |access-date=28 December 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130111071719/http://www.orissadiary.com/ShowOriyaOrbit.asp?id=38514 |archive-date=11 January 2013}} was a best seller.

Her search for a "social order based on equality, love, peace and integration", continues, since she first penned at the age of nine. When she wrote for a social order, based on equality without class, caste, religion or sex discriminations, some of her critics branded her as a communist, and some as feminist.{{Cite web|url=http://atelierdiva.in/Readmore1c4b.html?id=431|title=A literary crusader|last=Panda Mishra|first=Anita|date=May 2013|website=atelierdiva.in}} But she says: "I am a humanist. Men and women have been created differently for the healthy functioning of society. The specialities women have been endowed with should be nurtured further. As a human being, however, woman is equal to man."

She continued her writing career even after her marriage and raising a family of three children and husband Akshay Ray who is an engineer. Her post-doctoral research was on Tribalism and Criminology of Bondo Highlander,{{Cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/bondas-a-primitive-tribe-in-odisha-hills-get-their-first-mla/story-mSDlCeBofbXmmasbMN7QdO.html|title=Bondas, a primitive tribe in Odisha hills, get their first MLA|last=Ranjan Sahu|first=Priya|date=May 2014|website=Hindustan Times}}{{Cite web|url=http://sillyfox.in/lifestyle/bonda-tribes-odisha-andhra-pradesh/|title=Primitive Bonda Tribes of Odisha & Andhra Pradesh|date=November 2017|website=sillyfox.in|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180801064212/http://sillyfox.in/lifestyle/bonda-tribes-odisha-andhra-pradesh/|archive-date=1 August 2018|url-status=dead}}{{Cite book|title=Primitive Tribes in Contemporary India: Concept, Ethnography and Demography, Volumen 1 Primitive Tribes in Contemporary India: Concept, Ethnography and Demography|last=Sarit Kumar Chaudhuri, Sucheta Sen Chaudhuri|publisher=Mittal Publications|year=2005|isbn=9788183240260|pages=320}} tribes of Odisha, India.

She started her professional career as a school teacher, and later she taught in various government colleges in Odisha for thirty years. She has guided doctoral research and has published many research articles. She took voluntary retirement as a Professor of Education from State Government Service and joined as Member, Public Service Commission of Odisha.{{cite web |url=http://indiaeducationdiary.in/Orissa/shownews.asp?newsid=18292 |title=Odisha: Eminent fiction writer Dr Pratibha Ray to receive coveted Jnanpith Award |first=Saumya |last=Parida |work=indiaeducationdiary.in |year=2012 |quote=She took voluntary retirement as a Professor of Education from State Government Service in 1998 and joined as Member, Public Service Commission of Odisha State |access-date=28 December 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150630144254/http://indiaeducationdiary.in/Orissa/shownews.asp?newsid=18292 |archive-date=30 June 2015}}

She has active interest in social reform{{Cite web|last=Express News Service|date=24 February 2020|title=Women are Devis and not abala, says writer Pratibha Ray at TNIE Devi Awards|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/bhubaneswar/2020/feb/24/women-are-devis-and-not-abala-says-writer-pratibha-ray-at-tnie-devi-awards-2107697.html|access-date=2021-09-03|website=The New Indian Express}} and has fought against social injustice on many occasions. One important incident in her life is protesting against colour (caste/religion) discrimination by the high priests of Jagannath Temple at Puri. She is currently fighting a defamation case lodged by the priests against her for her newspaper article in which she wrote against the undesirable behaviour of the priests, titled "The Colour of Religion is Black" (Dharmara Ranga Kala).{{Cite web|last=Agencies|date=28 December 2012|title=Writers shaped me, my understanding of situations: Pratibha Ray - Indian Express|url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/writers-shaped-me-my-understanding-of-situations-pratibha-ray/1051068/|access-date=2021-09-03|website=archive.indianexpress.com}} She works in the cyclone-affected areas after the Odisha's Super Cyclone of October 1999 and she is working for rehabilitation of the orphans and widows of Cyclone affected areas.{{Cite web|title=Novelist and story writer Padmashri Pratibha Ray selected for the Jnanpith Award |url=https://www.eastyawest.com/personality/novelist-and-story-writer-padmashri-pratibha-ray-selected-for-the-jnanpith-award/|access-date=2021-09-03|website=www.eastyawest.com|language=en-US}}

Travel

Ray has travelled extensively inside India to participate in various national literary and educational conferences. She visited five republics of the erstwhile USSR in 1986 in a cultural exchange programme sponsored by ISCUS. She represented India as an Indian writer in the India Fair in Australia, "India Today 94". sponsored by Indian Council for Cultural Relations, New Delhi, in 1994. She gave readings and talks on Indian literature and languages in several universities of Australia. She has also visited the US, UK and France on speaking tours, represented India as an Indian writer in the India Festival in Bangladesh in 1996, and attended the 7th International Interdisciplinary Congress on Women in the University of Tromsø, Norway, in June 1999 as an Indian delegate. She visited Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark on a speaking tour in 1999. Visited Zurich, Switzerland, in 2000 to present a paper in the Third European Conference on Gender Equality in Higher Education.

Memberships

She is a member of a number of learned societies. She is connected with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Central Board of Film Certification, Indian Red Cross Society, India International Centre, National Book Trust of India, Central Academy of Letters etc. She has travelled extensively in India and abroad to participate in various literary and educational conferences. She has won a number of national and state awards for her creative writing.

Selected works

Novels

Barsa Basanta Baishakha, 1974
Aranya, 1977
Nishiddha Prithivi, 1978
Parichaya, 1979
Aparichita, 1979. (A film was made & won Best Film-Story award from Odisha State Govt., Department of Culture)
Punyatoya the story of village girl Meghi, 1979. (Tr. To Hindi)
Meghamedura, 1980
Ashabari, 1980
Ayamarambha, 1981
Nilatrishna, 1981. (Tr. to Hindi)
Samudrara Swara, 1982. (Tr. to Hindi)
Shilapadma, 1983. (Odisha Sahitya Academy Award, 1985; Tr. to Assamese, Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Punjabi and English){{cite web |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/Assam-gets-a-taste-of-governors-literary-skills/articleshow/17498153.cms |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130126073428/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-12-06/guwahati/35647110_1_konark-temple-assamese-books |url-status=live |archive-date=26 January 2013 |title=Assam gets a taste of governor's literary skills |year=2012 |quote=Roy's Sahitya Akademi winning novel ' Sheela Padma' |work=The Times of India |access-date=28 December 2012 }}
Yajnaseni, 1984 (Moorti Devi Award, 1991 and Sarala Award, 1990. Tr. to English, Hindi, Malayalam, Marathi, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hungarian){{cite web |url= http://news.oneindia.in/2006/09/22/oriya-writer-pratibha-roy-to-receive-amrita-keerti-award-1158933153.html |title=Oriya writer Pratibha Roy to receive Amrita Keerti Award – Oneindia News |work=news.oneindia.in |year=2006 |quote=It has been translated into seven languages so far and won for the authoress Bharatiya Jnanpith Trust's Moorti Devi Award and Sarala Award of Orissa in 1990.|access-date=28 December 2012}}
Dehatita, 1986
Uttaramarg, 1988. (Tr. to Hindi & Punjabi)
Adibhumi (Tr. to Hindi & English)
Mahamoha, 1998 (To be published in Hindi, Bengali & Malayalam)
Magnamati, 2004
Maharani Putra, 2008

;Travelogue

Maitripadapara Shakha Prashakha (USSR), 1990
Dura Dwividha (UK, France), 1999
Aparadhira Sweda (Australia), 2000

;Short Stories

Samanya Kathana – 1978
Gangashiuli – 1979
Asamapta – 1980
Aikatana – 1981
Anabana – 1983
Hatabaksa – 1983
Ghasa O Akasa
Chandrabhaga O Chandrakala – 1984
Shrestha Galpa – 1984
Abyakta (made into a Telefilm) – 1986
Itibut – 1987
Haripatra – 1989
Prthak Isvara – 1991
Bhagavanara Desa – 1991
Manushya Swara – 1992
Sva-nirvachita SreshthaGalpa – 1994
Sashthasati – 1996
Moksha (made into a Feature Film, that received the Best Regional Film award) – 1996{{cite web|url=http://www.samanvayindianlanguagesfestival.org/2012/pratibha-ray/|title=Pratibha Ray|access-date=28 December 2012|quote=Her story "Moksha" has been made into a film and won the best film award from President of India.|work=samanvayindianlanguagesfestival.org}}
Ullaghna (Sahitya Akademi Award, 2000) – 1998
Nivedanam Idam – 2000
Gandhinka – 2002
Jhotipaka Kantha – 2006

Adaptations

Yajnaseni (play) – Suman Pokhrel has rendered Ray's novel Yajnaseni as a solo play in Nepali.{{citation needed|date=September 2020}}

Awards and recognition

1985 – Odisha Sahitya Academi Award' for the novel Sheelapadma
1990 – 'Sarala Award' for the novel Yajnaseni
1991 – 'Moortidevi Award' for the Novel Yajnaseni{{cite web |url=http://english.manoramaonline.com/cgi-bin/MMOnline.dll/portal/ep/contentView.do?channelId=&contentId=13111755&programId=1073750974&tabId=1&contentType=EDITORIAL |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130111064421/http://english.manoramaonline.com/cgi-bin/MMOnline.dll/portal/ep/contentView.do?channelId=&contentId=13111755&programId=1073750974&tabId=1&contentType=EDITORIAL |url-status=dead |archive-date=11 January 2013 |title=Manorama Online | Odia writer Pratibha Ray selected for Jnanpith award |work=english.manoramaonline.com |year=2012 |quote=Yjnaseni (1985), which won Jnanpith Trust's Moorti Devi Award in 1991 |access-date=28 December 2012 }}
2000 – 'Sahitya Akademi Award' for the Short-Story Collection Ullaghna
2006 – Amrita Keerti Puraskar{{cite web|url=http://www.amritapuri.org/5593/prathiba-ray.aum|title=Prathiba Ray to receive Amrita Keerthi – Amma, Mata Amritanandamayi Devi|year=2006|access-date=28 December 2012|quote=Smt. Pratibha Ray will be awarded the Ashram's Amrita Keerti Puraskar for her meritorious contributions to the field of Indian literature.|work=amritapuri.org}}
2007 – 'Padma Shri Award' in Literature and Education by the Government of India.
2011 – 'Jnanpith Award'{{cite web |url= http://ibnlive.in.com/news/oriya-novelist-and-academician-pratibha-ray-get-2011-jnanpith-award/312656-40-103.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130102001529/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/oriya-novelist-and-academician-pratibha-ray-get-2011-jnanpith-award/312656-40-103.html |url-status= dead |archive-date= 2 January 2013 |title=Oriya novelist and academician Pratibha Ray wins 2011 Jnanpith Award|work=ibnlive.in.com |year=2012|quote= it was decided that Ray, 69, will be the winner of the 2011 Jnanapith Award. |access-date=28 December 2012}}
2013 – Odisha Living Legend Award (Literature){{cite news|last1=Nayak|first1=Anuja|title=OdishaDiary Conferred prestigious Living Legend, Odisha Inc and Youth Inspiration Awards|url=http://eodishasamachar.com/en/odishadiary-conferred-prestigious-living-legend-odisha-inc-and-youth-inspiration-awards/|access-date=28 January 2015|work=OdishaSamachar|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303224910/http://eodishasamachar.com/en/odishadiary-conferred-prestigious-living-legend-odisha-inc-and-youth-inspiration-awards/|archive-date=3 March 2016|url-status=dead}}
2022 - Padma Bhushan from Government of India for literature and education{{Cite web|author=Minati Singha|date=Jan 26, 2022|title=Padma Bhushan For Pratibha Ray {{!}} Bhubaneswar News - Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhubaneswar/padma-bhushan-for-pratibha-ray/articleshow/89127008.cms|access-date=2022-01-26|website=The Times of India|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=2022-01-26|title=Padma Awards 2022: Complete list of recipients|url=https://www.livemint.com/news/padma-awards-2022-complete-list-of-recepient-11643162439142.html|access-date=2022-01-26|website=mint|language=en}}

References

External links

http://www.pratibharay.org/
[http://www.india.gov.in/myindia/Padma%20Awards.pdf Prof. (Smt.) Pratibha Ray receives Padma Shri award in 2007 for Literature and Education, Odisha]

Category:1943 births

Category:Living people

Category:People from Jagatsinghpur district

Category:Recipients of the Jnanpith Award

Category:Odia short story writers

Category:Odia-language novelists

Category:Indian women academics

Category:Indian women novelists

Category:Indian women short story writers

Category:Recipients of the Sahitya Akademi Award in Odia

Category:Recipients of the Odisha Sahitya Akademi Award

Category:20th-century Indian short story writers