Young poet Suryasnata Tripathy is a known name in the literary circuit of Odisha. His writing style has not only made him popular among the readers over the years, he has been honoured with several prestigious awards – Kendra Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puraskar (2017), Timepass Swayamshree Award and Srujan Yuva Kabita Samman (both in 2018) and Haji Ashraf Ali Udaya Pratibha Samman (2019) to name but a few. This apart, he has written plays besides screenplays for short films.
Born to Santosh Kumar Tripathy and Jyotirmayee Devi of Siddheswarpur, Cuttack, Suryasnata had no plans of becoming a poet. He says, “I studied in an Odia medium school in my uncle’s village in Jagatsinghpur. There, the teachers often asked us to recite poems and tell stories. I used to enjoy those sessions. To become a poet was not a part of my plan though I loved books. But now I realise that my addiction to reading Janhamamu (Chandamama stories) in my childhood laid the foundation for my writing. My uncle used to read this children’s magazine and owned a big collection. So, I also read the magazine in my leisure hours. Janhamamu helped me develop my reading habit. But I started writing when I moved to Ravenshaw University for higher studies. Malabika Ray, a renowned author of Odisha, was my teacher and once she asked me to contribute to the souvenir Suryasnana. As my name is similar to the title of the souvenir, I had to write, she said. I wrote a poem and it was well received. After that, I continued to pen poems on a regular basis.”
Suryasnata says that though he was writing regularly, he never thought of publishing his poems. “But some of my friends and a few popular authors who read my poems asked me to compile and publish the poems,” he says. “I had to give in. My first anthology of poems Hajare Jahnara Rati was published in 2014. The response was good and that inspired me to pen more poems. Then, in 2015, another book A Samparka Eimiti was published by Timepass Publications, Bhubaneswar. was After that came Gangasiulira Gapa, a collection of poems published in 2017. Another collection, Abujha Akuha, was released this year. Besides, I also translated the poems of renowned Hindi poet Dharamvir Bharati, which was published by Pakshighara Publication House with the title Kanupriya.”
Though Suryasnata has made a name for himself as a writer, he has another identity. At present, he is doing his PhD in Electrical Engineering at IIT, Hyderabad.
He is also a member of a theatre troupe in Hyderabad called Kash for which he writes plays in Hindi and English. The group has staged several plays in Hyderabad and Bangalore. Botal arz Hai, a satirical take on today’s life, was a hit with the viewers, he says. He has also written other plays such as Lash’t Wish (Hindi), a play revolving around a person who makes a living at a crematorium, Pardon (Hindi/English) and A Long Goodbye (Hindi/English) which have been appreciated by audiences in Hyderabad.
Suryasnata has also written the story and screenplay for a short film Maati Muhan (The Earthen Face) directed by Arjun Samantray from Odisha. “I have produced the movie, and the post-production work is almost complete. The movie will soon be released on digital platforms. I want to continue working on feature films and documentaries. Besides, I want to make some good Odia films having local flavour,” he says.
Suryasnata says he always uses simple words in his poetry so that everyone can understand it. “I write in such a manner that even a rickshaw puller can understand and enjoy the lines. I am not choosy about my selection of books and authors. I believe everyone has his/her own way of interpreting things and I should learn from them. Being a PhD student, I have to spend a lot of time in the library, but I have not quit reading literature,” he adds.
Being a book lover, he buys a lot of books. “I buy more than fifty books at a time when I get an opportunity to visit a book fair. I cannot name any particular writer as my favourite. Some of the authors I like are Rajendra Kishore Panda, Sachchi Routray, Haraprasad Das, Girija Baliyarsingh, Ramakanta Rath, Sunil Prushty, Saqti Mohanty, Devdas Chhotray and Pratibha Satpathy. I read their works regularly and feel inspired by them.”
BRATATI BARAL, OP