Gourahari Das

Career

He joined in SAMBAD (the largest Daily of Odisha) in 1985 as a trainee sub-editor and rose up to become an Editor of this Media House. His long association with Sambad Group gave him an opportunity to explore his multi-faceted talent. He started writing his popular columns “Jibanara Jalachhabi” ( Vignetts of Life) and “ Rajadhani Rajaniti” ( Power Politics of the Capital) in this newspaper which brought him prominence. While the first one is a creative commentary on human life the later is a political satire. Later he became the Editor of KATHA (the fiction monthly of Sambad Group). He is also the Principal of Sambad School of Media and Culture, a pioneer media institute affiliated to Utkal University of Culture since 2007.

Creative Journey

Gourahari started writing short stories from very early age. In fact his first short story "Kshinaloka" was published in the magazine 'Kalyani' when he was only 15 years old. Soon he took up writing seriously and to date he has more than 51 books to his credit. These include novels, short stories, essays, plays, poems, translations and vignettes. He has also written travelogues on USA, Sweden and China.

As a journalist he has devoted much of his energy in eradicating superstition such as witchcraft and animal sacrifice. His comments on certain practices at Sri Jagannath temple at Puri and other places of worship have put him in the bracket of journalists with comviction. His column "Odisha Diary" which appears in special occasions is a popular one in Odisha.

Other Activities

He is associated with Sahitya Akademi (India’s highest body of letters) since 2008- first as a Member of Odia Advisory Board and then a Member of Executive Board and General Council .

He is associated with a number of socio-cultural organizations of Odisha which work for betterment of human life and building better society. He is the President of Shatabdira Kalajkar, a leading Theatre Group of Odisha and Advisor of Trishakti Mahila Samiti, a prominent Women's organization. Besides he is a Member of Utkal Sahitya Samaj, the oldest cultural body of Odisha. He was a Member of Regional Film Censor Board from 2012-15.

Travel

He has traveled different countries and participated in cultural exchange programmes. He visited the United States in 1996 and again in 2000 to deliver speeches at Annual Conference of OSA. (Odisha Society of Americas) in Washington DC and Nashvalley. He had been to China in 2002 as a Member of Indian Writers Delegation and participated in Frankfurt Book Fair, Germany in 2014. He has visited Sweden, UK, Netherland, France, Czech, Slovakia, Switzerland, Italy, Belgium and Austria.

Novels

Chhayasoudhara Abasesha 1996

Nija Sange Nijara Ladhei1999

Eithu Arambha 2005

Apananka Angyadhina 2010

Kete Rangara Jibana 2013

Short Story Collections

Akhada Ghara

Swapna Pain Rati Kahin

Bharatabarsha

Maati Kandhei

Maaya

Sesha Baji

Punarabrutti

Ghara

Kagajadanga

Ahalyara Bahaghara

Mathurara Manachitra

Kanta O Anyanya Galpa

Analeuta O Anyanya Galpa

Vignettes

Jibanara Jalachhabi

Chinha Chouhadi

Bhinna Bhumika

Parichita Paridhi

Asamartha Ishwara

Hatalekha Chithi

Play

Aparadha

Asami ( In press)

Maya

Poems

Paunshara Pandulipi

Essays

Odisha Diary

Kahara Odisha

Kathabarta

Katha Sarinahin

Editing

Piladina

Prema

Suryastara Ranga

Karmayogi Phakiracharan

Bhala Galpa: Bhumi O Bhumika

Swadhinottara Odia Kshudragalpa

Odia Galpa: Kali,Aji O Kali

Travelogues

Pratham Prabash

Dui Diganta

Chinha Achinha Chin

Translation

Yashpalnka Kahanimala

Mitro Marjani

Bhagaban Rajanish

Sehisabu Piladina

Gotie Jiban Jathesta Nuhen

Chheli Charaibar Dina

Book in Hindi

Door Akash Ka Pancchi

Mathuraka Manachitra

Kanhu Ka Ghar ( In Press)

Book in English

The Little Monk and Other stories

Koraput and Other Stories (In Press)

Adaptations

Many of his stories has been adapted as TV Films directed by Nirad Mahapatra, Basant Sahu, Dhira Mallik, Nandalal Mahapatra and telecast on DD, ETV and other TV Channels. His stories such as ‘Asami’, ‘Maya’, Shikuli’ have been made into stage plays and directed by Dhira Mallik, Pabitra Mohanty, Darpa Sethi and Ajit Dash.

Awards

Sahitya Akademi, India-2012

Odisha Sahitya Akademi -2001

Odisha Living Legend Award-2014

Sangeet Natak Akademi Recognition-2001

Utkal Sahitya Samaj Samman,

Sambalpur University Award

Sahitya Bharati Young Writer Award

Fakirmohan Sahitya Parishad Samman

Bhubaneswar Book Fair Award

Katha Gourav Award

Kanika Gourav Award and many more

Fellowship

Senior Fellowship of Ministry of Culture, India-2011

Writer in Residency, Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi-2010

Junior Fellowship of Ministry of Culture, India

Other Associations

Member of Executive Committee of Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi 2013-2017

Member of Odia Advisory Board of Sahitya Akademi, 2008-2017

Member of Regional Film Censor Board 2012-2016

President, Satabdira Kalakar, ( Premier Theatre Group of Odisha)since 2014

Director, News of KANAK TV 2009-2011

Principal, Sambad School of Media and Culture since 2007

Countries Visited

USA, Sweden, China, Germany UK, Netherland, Belgium, France, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria, Italy, Vatican City, Switzerland

Comments on his stories

Short stories of Gourahari show deep insight into human nature and the resilience of the human spirit. –Ruskin Bond

Gourahari Das sensitively chronicles the lives of the characters, and deftly probes their motives as they face life’s exigencies, deal with moral dilemmas, experience crises of survival, or simply try to cope with the complicated business of living. – Jatin Nayak