PROF. DR. UDAYANATH SAHOO
RESEARCHER ODIA LITERATURE
Literature is one of the most interesting and significant expressions of humanity. His excellence and devotion towards literature changed his career path from a lecturer to a professor and finally bagging a position in the India Book of Records as the first ever Odia professor for his exceptional research. He is an active researcher in Odia language, literature and cultural studies. His research and publication on Sarala Das garnered him both national and international attention.
He is Prof. (Dr.) Udayanath Sahoo, who was an Odia professor in Utkal University, Bhubaneswar. His special emphasis is on Ancient & medieval literature, especially on Sarala Mahabharata and the Bhagavata by Jagannath Das. With his extensive research, he presented the first-ever comparative study on the Mahabharata and The Shrimad Bhagavata in three regional languages (Odia, Bengali & Assamese) of India. He has also acted as an overseas researcher on Sarala Mahabharata at Otani University, Japan, thus creating another milestone for Odia literature.
Prof. Sahoo completed his M.A., M.Phil., Ph.D. & D.Litt. from Utkal University, and has over 40 years of teaching and Research experience. Presently he is the Chair Professor of Adikabi Sarala Das chair of Odia Studies at Centre of Indian Languages, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.
An author of 18 books, and a publisher of more than 200 research articles, distinguished Odia writer and educationist Prof. Sahoo has won a host of Indian and international awards for his significant contribution to Odia Literature. To name a few are Dr. Hare Krishna Mahatab Samman, Ekamra Samman, Nikhila Odisha Pragatishila Lekhaka Mahasangha Award, Swagatika Sahitya Sansad award, and Sarala Vyasa Bhasa Samman. His others skills include linguistic analysis, machine translation, sound editorial and textual criticism of palm-leaf manuscript.
He is distinctly recognised as a dedicated academic leader for his contributions to Odia literature in the state. VARINDIA greets him as one of The Crown Jewels of Odisha