Cuttack: Indo-Anglian poet Jayanta Mahapatra has been admitted to the ICU of SCB Medical College and Hospital (MCH) in Odisha’s Cuttack city, sources informed on Wednesday.
The 95-year-old poet was admitted to the hospital a few days ago and his condition is said to have deteriorated.
Hospital sources said that he is suffering from pneumonia and is conscious.
In February 2022, Mahapatra was admitted to SCB after fainting in a washroom while attending a programme in Baripada. He was then suffering from an upset stomach. Mahapatra had also undergone treatment at this state-run facility in June 2021 after testing positive for COVID-19.
The bilingual poet from Odisha is known for his collections like Waiting and A Rain of Rites which explore his memories, doubts and life experiences. He is the first Indian writer in English to receive the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1981 for his poem Relationship. In May 2019, he also became the first Indian English poet to become a Fellow of the Sahitya Akademi.
