Bhubaneswar: Eminent Odia literary figure Baishnab Charan Samal has been selected to receive the prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award for 2024.
He will receive this award for his essay book ‘Bhuti Bhakti Bibhuti’. This book, filled with spiritual contemplation and humanistic sentiments, has been highly praised. Samal is known as a highly ethical essayist and critic.
“The award, in the form of a casket containing an engraved copper plaque, a shawl, and an amount of Rs. 1,00,000 towards cash content, will be presented to the awardees at the award presentation function, which will be held on 8 March 2025 at Kamani Auditorium, Copernicus Marg, New Delhi,” stated a communiqué issued by Sahitya Akademi.
Born on 27 February 1939 in Charigaon of undivided Cuttack, Samal made his debut into literature through his poem ‘Neta Kie’. He started writing essays and criticism from 1964-65. His first essay, ‘Marutirtha’, was highly appreciated. His writings were published in many magazines.
Samal, who took up teaching as a profession, started his career at Fakir Mohan University in 1966 and retired as a professor from Visva Bharati Central University in 2004. For his outstanding contribution to Odia literature, Samal has been honoured with many awards.
In 2002, he was honoured with the Odisha Sahitya Akademi Award. Later, in 2017, he was honoured with the Bishub Award, and in 2014, he was honoured with the Sarala Award. Apart from this, he has also been awarded the Gopinath Nanda Prabhanda and Samalochana Award and the Kshetrabasi Sahitya Vidya Puraskar.
