Pratibha Ray

Pratibha Ray
Born (1943-01-21) 21 January 1943
Alabol, Balikuda, Jagatsinghpur, Odisha
Language Odia
Nationality Indian
Ethnicity Odia
Education M.A. (Education), PhD (Educational Psychology)[1]
Alma mater Ravenshaw College
Notable works Yajnaseni, Sheelapadma
Notable awards Jnanpith Award
Moortidevi Award
Website
pratibharay.org

Pratibha Ray is an Indian academic and writer. She was born on 21 January 1943, at Alabol, a remote village in the Balikuda area of Jagatsinghpur district formerly part of Cuttack district of Odisha state.[2] She was the first woman to win the Moortidevi Award in 1991.[3]

She is an eminent fiction writer in contemporary India. She writes novels and short stories in her mother tongue Odia. Her first novel Barsha Basanta Baishakha (1974)[4] proved itself as a best seller for its readability among female readers throughout Odisha. She attributed the boldness, the revolt and humanism in her literature, to the impact of Vaishnavism, her family religion, which preaches no caste, no class, and also due to the influence of her Gandhian teacher-father, Parashuram Das.

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. 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, for which she credits her parents and her husband. She completed her Masters in Education, and PhD in Educational Psychology while raising her children. Her post-doctoral research was on 'Tribalism and Criminology of Bondo Highlander', one of the most primitive tribes of Odisha, India.

Career

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.[5]

Other activities

She has active interest in social reform 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. Now she is 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). She works tirelessly 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.

Travel

Travelled extensively within India to participate in various National Literary and Educational Conferences. Visited five Republics of the erstwhile USS.R in 1986 in a cultural exchange programme sponsored by ISCUS. Had 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. Gave readings and talks on Indian Literature and Languages in several Universities of Australia. Visited USA, U.K and France on speaking tours. Represented India as an Indian Writer in the 'India Festival' in Bangladesh in 1996. Attended '7th International Interdisciplinary Congress on Women' in University of Tromsoe, Norway in June 1999 as an Indian delegate. Visited Norway, Sweden, Finland & Denmark on 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 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

Travelogue
Short Stories

Adaptations

Awards and recognition

See also

References

  1. ↑ Gulati, Varun (2009). "Language in India". languageinindia.com. Retrieved 28 December 2012. an M.A. in Education and PhD in Educational Psychology
  2. ↑ "Odia writer Pratibha Ray named for Jnanpith Award : East, News – India Today". indiatoday.intoday.in. 2012. Retrieved 28 December 2012. She was born to a Gandhian teacher on January 21, 1943, at Alabol village.
  3. ↑ Balakrishnan, Hariharan (2007). "The Hindu : Literary Review / Personality : 'The sky is not the limit'". hindu.com. Retrieved 28 December 2012. first woman to win the Jnanpith Moorti Devi Award.
  4. ↑ "Odisha: Eminent fiction writer Dr Pratibha Ray to receive coveted Jnanpith Award, Oriya Orbit". orissadiary.com. 2012. Retrieved 28 December 2012. her first novel as a novice, titled "Barsha-Basanta-Baishakha" (The Rain, Spring and Summer, 1974) which immediately captured the hearts of Odia readers.
  5. ↑ Parida, Saumya (2012). "Odisha: Eminent fiction writer Dr Pratibha Ray to receive coveted Jnanpith Award". indiaeducationdiary.in. Retrieved 28 December 2012. 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
  6. ↑ "Assam gets a taste of governor's literary skills – Times of India". indiatimes.com. 2012. Retrieved 28 December 2012. Roy's Sahitya Akademi winning novel ' Sheela Padma'
  7. ↑ "Oriya writer Pratibha Roy to receive Amrita Keerti Award – Oneindia News". news.oneindia.in. 2006. Retrieved 28 December 2012. 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.
  8. ↑ "Pratibha Ray". samanvayindianlanguagesfestival.org. Retrieved 28 December 2012. Her story "Moksh" has been made into film and won the best film award from President of India.
  9. ↑ "Manorama Online | Odia writer Pratibha Ray selected for Jnanpith award". english.manoramaonline.com. 2012. Retrieved 28 December 2012. Yjnaseni (1985), which won Jnanpith Trust's Moorti Devi Award in 1991
  10. ↑ "Prathiba Ray to receive Amrita Keerthi – Amma, Mata Amritanandamayi Devi". amritapuri.org. 2006. Retrieved 28 December 2012. Smt. Pratibha Ray will be awarded the Ashram's Amrita Keerti Puraskar for her meritorious contributions to the field of Indian literature.
  11. ↑ "Oriya novelist and academician Pratibha Ray wins 2011 Jnanpith Award". ibnlive.in.com. 2012. Retrieved 28 December 2012. it was decided that Ray, 69, will be the winner of the 2011 Janapith Award.
  12. ↑ Nayak, Anuja. "OdishaDiary Conferred prestigious Living Legend, Odisha Inc and Youth Inspiration Awards". OdishaSamachar. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
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