Laxmikanta Mohapatra Explained

Honorific Prefix:Kantakabi
Laxmikanta Mohapatra
Birth Name:Laxmikanta
Birth Date:1888 12, df=yes[1]
Birth Place:Bakhrabad Talapada,Tihidi Bhadrak, Odisha, India[2]
Death Place:Bhadrak
Education:Bachelor of Arts
Alma Mater:Pion College, Ravenshaw College
Notable Works:Bande Utkala Janani
Spouse:Labangalata Das
Children:Nityananda Mohapatra, Goura Chandra Mohapatra (Son)[3] [4]
Parents:Choudhary Bhagabat Prasad Samantaray Mohapatra and Radhamani Devi

Laxmikanta Mohapatra (18 December 1888 – 24 February 1953) was an Indian Odia poet, writer, performance artist and freedom fighter. More than ten of his books have been published. He was a leading campaigner of the Odisha State unification movement and an eminent member of Utkala Sammilani.

Early life and family

Laxmikanta was born on 18 December 1888, at Talapada, Tihidi Block of Bhadrak District. His father was zamindar Choudhary Bhagabat Prasad Samantaray Mohapatra and his mother's name was Radhamani Devi. He was native of Talapada village in Bhadrak district which was part of the then Bengal Presidency. His father represented Bihar & Orissa Legislative Council for four times and served as its deputy speaker for twice.

Laxmikanta spent his childhood in his maternal uncle's house and studied in Balasore. He studied at Kolkata's Pion College for higher education after passing Intermediate. He returned to Ravenshaw College in 1913 and completed his Bachelor of Arts degree.[4]

He was married to Labanga Lata, the daughter of zamindar Lalmohan Das.

He was afflicted with leprosy at early in his career and lost his physical movements. However It did not stop him from remaining active in the literary scene.

Literary life

Lakshmikanta created literary works in drama, parody, poetry, short-story, novel genres. His literary style had a nationalistic fervour and sharp satire. He was one of the few writers who made significant contributions to Odia literature during the period when its existence was threatened.[5] As a political critic, his acerbic criticism of politicians and feudal chiefs earned him an adverse reputation. He was also a musician and an actor . He has also contributed enormously to the rich tradition of performing arts in Orissa. He created a dramatic troupe call Gopinath Natya Samaj at his village.[6] Kantakabi's songs like were a battle cry of Odia freedom fighters during freedom struggle and state-hood movement. His composition Bande Utkala Janani was adopted as the welcome song for Balasore Session of Utkal Sammilani, the organization which sphere-headed the separate Orissa state movement. This song was accorded the status of state anthem of Odisha in 2020.

Published works

Novel

Short story

Mythology

Plays

Children's literature

Essays

Laxmikant edited a journal called Dagara, which published articles in various genres such as satire, children's stories, political and societal criticism.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Orissa Review August 2006. magazines.odisha.gov.in. 29 June 2020. 1 August 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200801103357/http://magazines.odisha.gov.in/Orissareview/Aug2006/augreview.htm. live.
  2. Web site: Eminent Personality of Odisha -Kanta Kabi Laxmikanta Mohapatra . eOdisha.org – latest Odisha News – Business – Culture -Art – Travel . 12 April 2020 . 29 June 2020 . 3 August 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200803204832/https://eodisha.org/kanta-kabi-laxmikanta-mohapatra/ . live .
  3. Web site: fullstory . Home . 29 June 2020 . 29 June 2020 . 26 February 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200226004133/http://www.ptinews.com/news/10032768_Freedom-fighter-Goura-Chandra-Mohapatra-passes-away.html . live .
  4. Web site: Mohapatra . Prabhu Kalyan . Kantakabi : A Nationalist Poet of Rare Caliber . PIB . Ministry of Information & Broadcasting . 29 June 2020 . Kantakabi : A Nationalist Poet of Rare Caliber . 6 October 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211006204819/https://pib.gov.in/newsite/erelcontent.aspx?relid=31084 . live .
  5. Book: George, K.M. . Sahitya Akademi . Modern Indian Literature, an Anthology: Surveys and poems . Sahitya Akademi . Modern Indian Literature, an Anthology . 1992 . 978-81-7201-324-0 . 30 September 2020 . 905 . 8 April 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230408062430/https://books.google.com/books?id=m1R2Pa3f7r0C&pg=PA905 . live .
  6. Book: Pani . S. . Das . H.C. . Kar . I.B. . Glimpses of History and Culture of Balasore . Orissa State Museum . 1988 . 29 June 2020 . xxvii.