Bhubaneswar: Noted English poet Gopal Lahiri from Kolkata has been chosen for the first Jayanta Mahapatra National Award for Literature.
The award, instituted by Udaygiri Foundation, will be conferred on the occasion of second Toshali Literature Festival-2024. The award will carry a citation and cash award of Rs 50,000, the foundation said in a press release.
Lahiri is a distinguished poet, critic, editor and translator with 29 books published to his credit. His poems have been published in 16 countries and 14 languages. Previously he was nominated for the Pushcart Award for Poetry in 2021 and the Setu Excellence Awards, USA for Poetry in 2020.
In memory of legendary poet Jayanta Mahapatra, Udaygiri Foundation has instituted the annual award to honour an eminent writer, writing in English ,above the age of 50 having significant contribution to Indian English writing.