Mahananda Poudyal | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Native name | महानन्द पौडेल |
| Born | 19 January 1931 Kalimpong, Darjeeling district, British India |
| Died | 12 October 2017 (aged 86) Gangtok, Sikkim, India |
| Occupation | Writer, political thinker |
| Language | Nepali |
| Nationality | Indian |
Mahananda Poudyal (Nepali: महानन्द पौडेल; 19 January 1931 – 12 October 2017) was an Indian writer, teacher, social worker and political thinker.[1]
Mahananda Poudyal was born in Kalimpong, Darjeeling district, India on 19 January 1931. His father's name was Khadananda Poudyal. He obtained his primary education from St. Michael Roman Catholic School, Kalimpong. Later, he went on to study at the Scottish Universities Mission Institution (SUMI). He was a very bright student from a young age. So immediately after finishing high school he was hired to work as a teacher in Tashi Namgyal Senior Secondary School (TNSSS) in Gangtok, Sikkim. After working for about 3 years he decided to go to college and completed his bachelor's degree which he received in 1956 from Darjeeling Government College. He then went on to complete his Masters of Arts (MA) degree from Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu Nepal. Once completing his education, he came back to work as a teacher in the Government of Sikkim for about 11 years quickly rising to the position of Deputy Director for the Department of Education of Sikkim in 1977. In 1988, he retired from his position in the Department of Education to pursue a full-time career in Nepali literature.
Poudyal died in Gangtok, Sikkim on 12 October 2017, at the age of 86.[2]
Known to be inspired by his own family and people surrounding him in his daily life, Mahananda Poudyal found a mentor in his own father Khadananda Poudyal, who was a well-known Sanskrit scholar. The first poem Mahananda Poudyal wrote was titled Mitra Barga (which means My Friends). It was published in the school magazine of the Scottish Universities Mission Institution in 1952. He also wrote short stories, essays, travelogues and criticisms.[3] His publications include Jhumra Ko Putali (1988), Hamra Kehi Lok Katha (1988), Shakespheare Ka Kehi Natya Katha (1996), Bichar Afnai Chhitiz Tira (1996), Chanda Ra Alankar (1988), Sanobhai, Shree Katha, Fulharu, Patiharu (2002) and Bhasha Sahitya Barha Bakhan. A complete list of his publications are as follows
Short stories
Poems
Folktales collection
Edited works
Translations
Mahananda Poudyal has been an active contributor in many literary magazines and journals. In addition he has been the editor of various publications in the region. His association with some of the journals and publications include
Given his contributions to the Nepali literature, Mahananda Poudyal himself has been a subject of many dissertation works for scholars of Nepali Literature. Some of them include:
Apart from literary activities, Manahanda Poudyal was also engaged in various political and social activities in Darjeeling and its adjacent regions. He took active participation in the Gorkha identity and upliftment movement and has written several articles on the Akhil Bharatiya Gorkha League. It can be safely assumed that some of his writings have been influenced by the political philosophy of the Gorkhaland movement. These writings drew the attention of the people towards the movement.
He was associated with several social and literary organizations such as Gorkha Dukha Niwarak Sammelan, Akhil Bharatiya Gorkha League, Bhanu Jayanti Samaroah Samiti, Sikkim Sahitya Academy, Kendriya Sikshya Parishad, Rashtriya Pathya Pustak Parishad, Kendriya Sahitya Academy and Purviya Parishad Sanskrit Kendra. See the list below :
For his contributions to the Nepali literature, Mahananda Poudyal has been awarded multiple recognitions. See list below for some of them
He has also been felicitated on numerous occasions including:
