Gouri Kumar Brahma

Gouri Kumar Brahma (20 February 1920 – 29 September 2011) was an academician, literary critic, orator and writer. His works are mainly in Odia and Sanskrit. He was popular for his talks on Jagannath culture and literature of Upendra Bhanja in Odia, English Sanskrit and Hindi. He died at Bhubaneswar.

Early life and family

Gourikumar's father was Chandrasekhar Brahma and Mother was Savitri Devi. His birthplace was at Prataplaxmanpur village of Bhanjanagar. He got his early education in Ganjam district.He got his post graduate degree from Utkal University.While he was a student he studied classical literatures in Odia as well as Sanskrit such as Amarakosha, Kumara Sambhavam, Raghuvaṃśa, Meghadutam, Shishupala Vadha, Kirātārjunīya, Shiddhanta Darpana, Geeta Govinda, Bhagabata, Saptachandi. He was married to Satyabhama, daughter of Poet Godabarish Mohapatra.

Career

He served as a teacher for some time at kazipur and Digapahandi. He worked as a lecturere in Odia. He also served as Odisha shitya Akademi, Odisha Sangita nataka Akademi and Odisha Lalitakala Akademi. He served as deputy Director of Department of Culture and Tourism, Government Of Odisha. he also served as chief tourism adviser to Government of Odisha.He retired as a Reader of Odia at Ravenshaw College. Throughout his career he wrote a number of critiques, interpretations on Odia literature such as on works of Upendra Bhanja , Abhimanyu Samanta Sinhara and others. He has been described as a "incomparable orator". He has been given epithets such as Purusha Saraswati,sahitya Martanda, Kabi Kokila, Utkala Vachaspati.

Awards

• Utkal Ratna, 2007
• Atibadi Jagannath Das Samman, 1998
• Odisha Sahitya Akademi Award
• Sarala Sammana