Mayadhar Mansingh

Mayadhar Mansingh Biography

Dr. Mayadhar Mansingh was a popular writer associated with Oriya literature. He was known as a poet and he received Padma Shri in 1967. He is credited to introducing Shakespeare works to Oriya literature. He translated famous Shakespeare tragedy works - Hamlet and Othello to Oriya. He was fondly called ‘Premika Kabi’ (romantic poet) for the romantic poems he authored most. His poetic style is profuse with the use of romantic and erotic metaphor. Krushna, Kamalayana, Konarka and Ei sahakara tale are some of his major works. He also published several research articles on the History of Odisha.

Mayadhar Mansingh was born on 13 November 1905 in Nandala, Odisha. Among his three sons, his second son Lalit Mansingh was an Indian diplomat who served as the Foreign Secretary of India. Lalit was married to prominent Odissi dancer, Sonal Mansingh – the granddaughter of Mangal Das Pakvasa, the great freedom fighter and the daughter of Poornima Arvind Pakvasa, famous social worker. However the couple got divorced.

As a litterer he contributed in the form of poems, translations, essays, poetic plays and long narrative poems to Oriya literature. He also published non-fiction works on the history of Odisha. He was very much interested in the research works of Odisha literature, and he published his findings as well. His work – Odia Sahityara Itihasa is his major work belonging to this genre, published in the year 1962.

He marked the beginning of modernity in Odiya Literature. He along with his friend Dr. Charles Fabri led the efforts to revive Odissi dance and popularize it outside the state also. His obsession to art forms led him to a project which he described as his three cherished dreams, a set of three books to describe the totality of Orissa’s diverse culture. He authored History of Oriya in 1962. Dr. Charles Fabri authored the second book - “History of the Art of Orissa” and was posthumously published in 1974. Saga of the Land of Lord Jagannath – authored by Mansingh completed the trilogy.

Published: N/A

Updated: July 09, 2016