Dr. Pratibha Ray is an Indian academic and writer of
Odia-language novels and stories.

For her contribution to the Indian literature, Smt. Ray received the Prestigious Jnanpith Award in 2011. She was also awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2022.

She was born on 21st January 1944, in a remote village of Jagatsinghpur district  of Odisha. She was the first woman Novelist to win the Moortidevi Award in 1991. Her first novel Barsha Basanta Baishakha (1974) was a best seller in her early career.

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 and husband Akshay Ray, an engineer. Her post-doctoral research was on Tribalism and Criminology of Bonda highlander tribes of Odisha, India.

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 a Member, Public Service Commission of Odisha.

She has active interest in social reform and has fought against social injustice on many occasions. She works 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.

Ray has travelled extensively inside India to participate in various national literary and educational conferences. She visited five republics of the erstwhile USSR in 1986 in a cultural exchange programme sponsored by ISCUS. She 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. She gave readings and talks on Indian literature and languages in several universities of Australia. She has also visited the US, UK and France on speaking tours, represented India as an Indian writer in the India Festival in Bangladesh in 1996, and attended the 7th International Interdisciplinary Congress on Women in the University of Troms, Norway, in June 1999 as an Indian delegate. She visited Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark on a speaking tour in 1999. Visited Zurich, Switzerland, in 2000 to present a paper in the Third European Conference on Gender Equality in Higher Education.

Literary Achievements

Pratibha Ray has authored over 20 novels, 10 collections of short stories, and numerous essays and poems, earning her a place among the most influential contemporary Indian writers. Her most acclaimed novel, “Yajnaseni”, based on Draupadi’s perspective from the Mahabharata, gained widespread recognition and has been translated into multiple languages. Other notable works include “Shilapadma,” “Mahamoha,” “Uttarmarg,” and “Sheela Chintamani.”

Her writings transcend mere storytelling and delve deeply into philosophical, cultural, and social dimensions, reflecting her commitment to addressing pressing societal concerns, particularly issues affecting women.

Awards and Recognitions

Pratibha Ray’s contributions to literature have been recognized both nationally and internationally. Some of her prestigious awards include:

• Jnanpith Award (2011): India’s highest literary honor, for her exceptional contributions to Indian literature.
• Padma Bhushan (2022): One of India’s highest civilian awards, for her outstanding work in literature and education.
• Sahitya Akademi Award (1991): For her iconic novel, “Yajnaseni.”
• Moortidevi Award (1993): For her spiritual and philosophical themes in literature.
• Vyas Samman (2007): For her contributions to Hindi literature.

 In addition, she has received numerous state-level awards and accolades from literary organizations worldwide for her extensive body of work.

Legacy

A former professor and educationist, Pratibha Ray has made signi7cant contributions to the 7elds of literature and education, inspiring generations of readers and writers. She is deeply admired for her literary excellence, her relentless advocacy for social justice, and her ability to portray the complexities of human emotions and relationships with unparalleled depth. She remains an enduring symbol of Odisha’s literary pride, continuing to influence Indian literature and culture profoundly

Novels

Audio story