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[[File:Kanhu Charan Mohanty.png|thumb|Kanhu Charan Mohanty with the Sahitya Akademi Award received in 1958]] {{Short description|Indian Odia language novelist}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2017}}
{{Infobox writer
| image =
| caption =
| birth_name =
| pseudonym =
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1906|08|11}}
| birth_place = Nagabali, Sankhatras, [[Cuttack]], British India
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1994|04|6|1906|08|11}}
| death_place =
| occupation = [[Novelist]]
| nationality = Indian
| alma_mater = [[Ravenshaw College]]
| language = [[Odia language|Odia]]
| period =
| genre =
| notableworks =
| awards = [[List of Sahitya Akademi Award winners for Odia|Sahitya Akademi Award]] (1958)<br>[[List of Sahitya Akademi fellows|Sahitya Akademi fellowship]] (1994)
}}

'''Kanhu Charan Mohanty''' (11 August 1906 – 6 April 1994) was an Indian [[Odia language]] novelist who wrote fifty-six novels in a career spanning over six decades from 1930 to 1985. He is considered "one of the most popular and celebrated novelists of [[Odisha|Odisa]]".<ref name="storm">{{cite web|url=http://www.nbtindia.gov.in/books_detail__1__aadan-pradan__682__the-storm.nbt|title=The Storm: Kanhu Charan Mohanty; translated by Bijay Kumar Nanda|publisher=National Book Trust|access-date=19 March 2017}}</ref> Mohanty was awarded the [[List of Sahitya Akademi Award winners for Odia|Sahitya Akademi Award]] in 1958 for his novel, ''Kaa'', published in 1956, and was one of the [[List of Sahitya Akademi fellows|fellows]] of the [[Sahitya Akademi]]. Mohanty died on 6 April 1994 at the age of 87.

== Personal life ==
Kanhu Charan Mohanty was born on 11 August 1906 in Nagabali village of [[Cuttack]], India, to a [[Karan (caste)|Karan]] family.<ref name="SAF">{{cite web|url=http://sahitya-akademi.gov.in/sahitya-akademi/library/fellowship_pdf/Shri.%20Kanhu%20Charan%20Mohanty.pdf|title=Sahitya Akademi Fellowship: Late Kanhu Charan Mohanty|format=PDF|access-date=17 March 2017|publisher=Sahitya Akademi}}</ref><ref name="bbl"/> He is an elder brother of [[Gopinath Mohanty]] (1914–91) who was also a [[Jnanpith Award]]-winning (1974) Odia novelist.<ref name="bbl"/>{{rp|299}}<ref name="George1992">{{cite book|author=George, K. M.|title=Modern Indian Literature, an Anthology: Surveys and poems|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=m1R2Pa3f7r0C&pg=PA317|year=1992|publisher=Sahitya Akademi|isbn=978-81-7201-324-0|pages=1148}}</ref>{{rp|317}} He completed his schooling at [[Cuttack]] and joined an engineering college which he was forced to leave due to financial difficulties. Later, he completed his graduation from [[Ravenshaw College]] (now [[Ravenshaw University]]) in 1929. Mohanty joined as a clerk in Government Service and retired as a Senior Administrative Officer in 1964. Mohanty died on 6 April 1994 at the age of 87.<ref name="SAF"/>

== Literary works ==
Mohanty wrote his first novel ''Utshabe Byasane'' during 1923–24. However, the novel was never published and its manuscript could not be traced later.<ref name="SAF"/> His novels first published in 1930, ''Arana'' and ''Patalaka''.<ref name="SAF"/><ref name="bbl">{{cite web|url=http://odisha.gov.in/e-magazine/orissaannualreference/ORA-2004/pdf/eminent_literacy_luminaries_of_orissa.pdf|title=Eminent Literary Luminaries of Orissa|format=PDF|pages=30|publisher=Government of Odisha|access-date=19 March 2017|date=2004|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170102081624/http://odisha.gov.in/e-magazine/orissaannualreference/ORA-2004/pdf/eminent_literacy_luminaries_of_orissa.pdf|archive-date=2 January 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>{{rp|15}} His 1932 published novel ''Nishpatti'' is considered the first Oriya novel to depict the events of a marriage between a child and a widow. He published two novels in 1944, ''Bhala Paibara Sesha Katha'' and ''Tunda Baida''. ''Bhala Paibara Sesha Katha'' portrays the [[untouchability]] in the Indian society and ''Tunda Baida'' depicts the relation between a widow and her younger brother-in-law and rumors spread about them by villagers.<ref name="ON3040">{{cite web|url=http://odisha.gov.in/e-magazine/Orissareview/2008/Sept-Octo-2008/engpdf/73-77.pdf|title=Oriya Novels in the 1930s and 1940s|format=PDF|publisher=Government of Odisha|access-date=20 March 2017|date=2008|author=Patnaik, Jitendra Narayan|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150824090207/http://odisha.gov.in/e-magazine/Orissareview/2008/Sept-Octo-2008/engpdf/73-77.pdf|archive-date=24 August 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>{{rp|74–75}} While ''Haa Anna'' (1935) was set against the backdrop of [[Orissa famine of 1866]], his 1946 published novel ''Shasti'' (Punishment) depicts famine's aftermath and pestilence during the years 1866 and 1870. Both the novels portrayed the romantic love stories with social and economical inequality.<ref name="ON3040"/>{{rp|74–75}}<ref name="Lal1992"/> His [[List of Sahitya Akademi Award winners for Odia|Sahitya Akademi Award]]-winning novel ''Kaa'' (Impersonation, 1956) deals with the subject of [[female infertility]] and [[maternal death]]. In ''Kshana Kshanake Ana '' (The World Changes Every Moment, 1975) Mohanty narrates the story of step-mothers and domestic violence.<ref name="4writers"/>{{rp|67}} He published fifty-six novels in a career spanning over six decades from 1930 to 1985 with ''Jaksha'' (1985) being his last published novel.<ref name="SAF"/><ref name="ON3040"/>{{rp|74–75}}

== Legacy ==
Mohanty is considered "one of the most popular and celebrated novelists of [[Odisha]]".<ref name="storm"/> He is known for depicting social realism and most of his work involved problems associated with plight of woman,<ref name="storm"/> caste and economic exploitation.<ref name="OP">{{cite web|url=http://www.odisha.gov.in/portal/ViewDetails.asp?vchglinkid=GL012&vchplinkid=PL098&vchslinkid=SL069|title=Odisha Profile: Literature [Novel/Prose]|publisher=Government of Odisha|access-date=19 March 2017|author=Mishra, Ganeswar}}</ref> It was noted that he, being an [[Dvija|upper caste]] writer, portrayed [[Dalit|lower caste]] characters in his writings.<ref name="AbrahamMisrahi-Barak2015">{{cite book|author1=Abraham, Joshil K.|author2=Misrahi-Barak, Judith |title=Dalit Literatures in India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ph4-CgAAQBAJ&pg=PA148|date=24 July 2015|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-317-40880-2|pages=366}}</ref>{{rp|148}} His novels are set around [[Geography of Odisha|coastal Odisha]]. Scholar [[Sisir Kumar Das]] appreciated Mohanty's authentic illustration of regions compared to actual geographical location but noted that the author has tendency to create an [[Utopia|Utopian world]] while representing the human life.<ref name="Das1991">{{cite book|author=Das, Sisir Kumar|title=History of Indian Literature: 1911–1956, struggle for freedom : triumph and tragedy|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sqBjpV9OzcsC&pg=PA298|year=1991|publisher=Sahitya Akademi|isbn=978-81-7201-798-9|pages=908}}</ref>{{rp|298}} ''Shasti'' (1946) is considered "one of the best progressive writings in Oriya" and "one of the earliest novels to use [[psychoanalysis]] to reveal different moods and emotions of its characters".<ref name="Lal1992">{{cite book|author=Lal, Mohan|title=Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: Sasay to Zorgot|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KnPoYxrRfc0C&pg=PA3989|year=1992|publisher=Sahitya Akademi|isbn=978-81-260-1221-3|volume=5|pages=818}}</ref>{{rp|3988–89}} Mohanty's work, in terms of its theme and writing style, is noted to be on the similar lines of another Odia novelist [[Fakir Mohan Senapati]] (1843–1918) with more critical social and cultural evaluation but lacking sense of humour and satire of Senapati.<ref name="SAF"/><ref name="OP"/><ref name="4writers"/>{{rp|67}} He said to have been influenced by ''[[The Woodlanders]]'' (1887) by [[Thomas Hardy]] for ''Shasti'' and by ''Pavilion of Women'' (1946) by [[Pearl S. Buck]] for ''Kaa'' (Impersonation, 1956).<ref>{{cite book|title=Transactions|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=n-knAAAAYAAJ|year=1972|publisher=The Institute|pages=530}}</ref>{{rp|82}}

In 2006, The [[Government of Odisha]] decided to republish three Odia novels, ''Kaa'' by Mohanty, ''Matira Manisha'' (1931) by [[Kalindi Charan Panigrahi]],<ref name="4writers">{{cite web|url=http://odisha.gov.in/e-magazine/Orissareview/2008/November-2008/engpdf/65-72.pdf|title=Four Major Modern Oriya Novelists|format=PDF|publisher=Government of Odisha|access-date=21 March 2017|date=2008|author=Patnaik, Jitendra Narayan|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160914150719/http://odisha.gov.in/e-magazine/Orissareview/2008/November-2008/engpdf/65-72.pdf|archive-date=14 September 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>{{rp|65}} and ''Mamu'' (1913) by [[Fakir Mohan Senapati]] to increase the popularity of Odia language among the youth.<ref name="Mukherjee2002">{{cite book|author=Mukherjee, Meenakshi|title=Early Novels in India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VPJ7jqVSl34C&pg=PA240|date=1 January 2002|publisher=Sahitya Akademi|isbn=978-81-260-1342-5|pages=278}}</ref>{{rp|240}}<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/1060727/asp/jamshedpur/story_6531490.asp|title=New life for Oriya classics|author=Das, Subrat|date=27 July 2006|access-date=20 March 2017|newspaper=The Telegraph (Calcutta)|location=Jamshedpur}}{{dead link|date=February 2023|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> In January 2007, the [[Sahitya Akademi]] and Sarala Sahitya Sansad organised a two-day national seminar, "Kanhu Charan and the Rise of Indian Novel", to commemorate Mohanty's birth centenary. Odia novelist and a pioneer member of Sarala Sahitya Sansad,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://saralasahityasansad.org/web/AboutUs.aspx|title=Sarala Sahitya Sansad: About US|access-date=21 March 2017|publisher=Sarala Sahitya Sansad|archive-date=17 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160617204314/http://saralasahityasansad.org/web/AboutUs.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref> Pravakar Swain, noted that "[Mohanty's] books had a social commitment and sympathy for the insulted and the injured".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/1070115/asp/jamshedpur/story_7261987.asp|title=Novelist recalled in 100-yr gathering|date=15 January 2007|access-date=21 March 2017|newspaper=The Telegraph (Calcutta)|location=Cuttack}}{{dead link|date=February 2023|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

== Artistic depiction of novels ==
Some of Mohanty's novels were later made into films. 1965 [[Cinema of Odisha|Odia film]] ''Abhinetri'' (The Actress) is based on his 1947 published novel by the same name and marked first occurrence of [[Dual role]], played by Jharna Das, in Odia cinema. Another novel ''Kaa'' (1956) was later made into a film ''[[Kaa (1965 film)|Kaa]]'' (1965). The film was awarded the [[National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Odia|Certificate of Merit for the Best Feature Film in Odia]] at [[14th National Film Awards]]. ''Tunda Baida'' (Gossip, 1944) was also made into a film in 1987 by the same name.<ref name="GokulsingDissanayake2013">{{cite book|author1=Gokulsing, K. Moti|author2=Dissanayake, Wimal|title=Routledge Handbook of Indian Cinemas|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QwGgF-rDucEC&pg=PT141|date=17 April 2013|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-136-77291-7|pages=486}}</ref>{{rp|141}}<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/Conscience-of-Odia-Cinema/article14617785.ece|title=Conscience of Odia Cinema|date=1 September 2016|access-date=21 March 2017|newspaper=The Hindu}}</ref>

== Awards ==
Mohanty won several awards for his literary work. He won the [[List of Sahitya Akademi Award winners for Odia|Sahitya Akademi Award]] in 1958 for ''Kaa'', the Jeevan Rang Prize in 1970, and the Neela Saila Award in 1992. On 4 February 1994, the [[Sahitya Akademi]], India's National Academy of Letters, selected him as its [[List of Sahitya Akademi fellows|fellow]], the highest honour conferred by the Akademi; however, Mohanty died on 6 April 1994 before the honour could formally be conferred upon him.<ref name="SAF"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://sahitya-akademi.gov.in/sahitya-akademi/aboutus/about.jsp|title=Sahitya Akademi: About Us|access-date=23 March 2017|publisher=Sahitya Akademi}}</ref>

== Bibliography ==
Mohanty published the following works under his name:<ref name="SAF"/><ref name="bbl"/>
{{Col-begin}}
{{Col-4}}
;1920–40
#''Utsabe Byasane'' (1923) {{small|(Unpublished)}}
#''Arana'' (1930)
#''Patalaka'' (1930)
#''Baliraja'' (1932)
#''Nishpatti'' (1932)
#''Swapnana Satya'' (1933)
#''Duniara Dau'' (1934)
#''Haa Anna'' (1935)
#''Tathastu'' (1936)
#''Parichaya'' (1936)
#''Olatapalata'' (1937)
#''Parakiya'' (1938)
#''Udandi'' (1939)
{{Col-break}}
;1941–60
#''Adekha Hata'' (1943)
#''Pratiksha'' (1943)
#''Bhala Paibara Sesha Katha'' (1944)
#''Tunda Baida'' (1944)
#''Eparisepari'' (1945)
#''Shasti'' (1946)
#''Banagahanara Jale'' (1947)
#''Antaraya'' (1947)
#''Abhinetri'' (1947)
#''Bhuli Huena'' (1948)
#''Jhanja'' (1950)
#''Milanara Chhanda'' (1951)
#''Sarbari'' (1952)
#''Pari'' (1954)
#''Kaa'' (1956)
#''Bajrabahu'' (1959)
{{Col-break}}
;1961–80
#''Dheudheuka'' (1962)
#''Bagabaguli'' (1964)
#''Itihasa'' (1967)
#''Swapna'' (1968)
#''Chhutileghata'' (1968)
#''Jarangara Tale'' (1969)
#''Mana Jane Papa'' (1969)
#''Manamanthana'' (1970)
#''Ati Gopaniya'' (1970)
#''Angana'' (1971)
#''Mamatara Maya'' (1971)
#''Kahibaku Laja'' (1973)
#''Nirbisanka'' (1973)
#''Aji Nuhen Aau Dine'' (1973)
#''Kshana Kshanake Ana'' (1975)
#''Maya Bartta'' (1978)
#''Satya Bati'' (1980)
#''Kshanika'' (1980)
#''Apa'' (1980)
#''Namati Tara Champa'' (1980)
{{Col-break}}
;1981–85
#''Taraka'' (1981)
#''Tapasi'' (1982)
#''Lalatalikhana'' (1983)
#''Melani Maguni'' (1983)
#''Pabani'' (1984)
#''Jaksha'' (1985)
{{Col-end}}

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Odia literature}}
{{SahityaAkademiFellowship}}
{{Sahitya Akademi Award For Odia}}
{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mohanty, Kanhu Charan}}
[[Category:1906 births]]
[[Category:1994 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Cuttack district]]
[[Category:Ravenshaw University alumni]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Sahitya Akademi Award in Odia]]
[[Category:Odia-language novelists]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian novelists]]
[[Category:Novelists from Odisha]]

Kanhu Charan Mohanty - Revision history

Filmeekeeda at 16:56, 23 February 2026