•40th Memorial Ceremony to Be Held at Bhadrak Sanskruti Bhavan on December 27BALASORE, November 13 (Krushna Kumar Mohanty): Young poet Subrat Kumar Jena has been selected for the prestigious ‘Kabi Basanta Muduli Poetry Award’ for 2026, instituted by the Kabi Basanta Muduli Smruti Sansad. The announcement has evoked enthusiasm in literary circles, as the award is considered a coveted recognition among young Odia poets.
The name of the award recipient was finalised at a meeting chaired by Pabitra Panigrahi, President of the Sansad and noted short story writer. Convenor Arun Khilar, poet Kishore Panigrahi, Suchitra Panigrahi, Amitabh Khilar and Krushna Kumar Mohanty, Secretary of the Sansad, attended the meeting. Sansad members Dr. Rabindra Panda, Shantanu Mahapatra and Bijay Khilar were also present. Based on the recommendations and opinions of the jury members, Jena was unanimously considered eligible for the award, and his name was formally announced.
The 40th Kabi Basanta Muduli Memorial Ceremony will be held at Sanskruti Bhavan in Bhadrak at 4 pm on December 27. On the occasion, the award-winning poet will be felicitated with a cash prize and a citation.
Noted short story writer Tarunkanti Mishra will attend the ceremony as the chief guest, while eminent critic and poet Dr. Bhagaban Jayasingh as the chief speaker will deliver the keynote address. Dr. Debashish Patra, noted writer and Head of the Department of Languages at Fakir Mohan University, has consented to attend as the guest speaker. This was informed by Krushna Kumar Mohanty, Secretary of the Sansad, through a press release.
Awardee Subrat Kumar Jena is a recognised voice in contemporary Odia poetry. Born on May 3, 1978, at Baligari village in Jajpur district, he completed his graduation and post-graduation from Utkal University. A journalist by profession, he has worked with leading media organisations, including the Odia daily Sambad, ETV Odia and Prameya News 7.
His first poetry collection, ‘Rough Khata Ra Premika’, was published in 2011. His second collection, ‘Kamarashalara Padya’, was published in 2019 by Timepass Publications, Bhubaneswar.
In 2008, Jena participated in the SAARC Poetry Festival as a young poet. His literary contributions have earned him several recognitions, including the Nishan Kavita Samman in 2007, Mahamaya Sahitya Samman in 2009, Paschima Kavita Samman in 2014 and Kalinga Literary Youth Award in 2018.
The award aims to encourage poetic consciousness and creativity among the younger generation while keeping alive the literary ideals and memory of poet Basanta Muduli.
The selection of Jena for this prestigious recognition marks another significant milestone in his literary journey and is expected to inspire emerging talents in the field of Odia poetry. The Sansad expressed confidence that the honour would further encourage young poets to pursue their creative endeavours.
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