Dr.Ranjan Pradhan, among Odisha's best known short story occupies a distinct position in research field and the most lovable name in tribal literature.He is a prolific writer-cum-journalist and one of the most competent, serious researchers of Odisha. He has a very good name as a tribal researcher and tribal Journalist.
Dr.Ranjan Pradhan is one of the most favourite Odia short story writers and keeps a power to fascinate the readers by his unique story telling manner.Playing with words is the identy of Mr. Pradhan. He is known for his seriousness, sincere effort and intellectual content of any of his work.
As a journalist, Mr. Pradhan is a very polite, professional and gentle bynature. He has an outstanding contribution for social service and known as an honest nature lover. Voluntarily by donating blood he saves many precious human lives. For this kind of social service (donating blood and organisingblood camps) he has awarded by the honourable Governor of Odisha andfrom so many organisations.
His campaign to save river, hill and Jungle, is another identity of Dr.Pradhan. He has influenced the society by writing on hill and rivers of Odisha. In Odisha, he is popularly known as 'Prakruti Purusha' (Nature's Man). He loves nature and he is a voracious tourist of Nature. He has done so many works on tourism, culture and Odisha's Maritime history. His 'Baitarani' and'Budhabalanga' are two most read books regarding river research in Odisha.
As a rural journalist he is well known to everybody in the state. He has worked as a journalist in the Sambad districts like Anandapur, Talcher, Anugul, Nabarangapur, Keonjhar, Bhubaneswar and Mayurbhanj as a district correspondent of Sambad (The largest circulated Odia daily newspaper). Mostly he has done excellent in tribal regions of Odisha as a journalist. He has coined a new concept about 'tribal journalism' in Odisha. He has written a number of books on tribes of Odisha.
Ranjan Pradhan was born in a small remote village (Niginipur) of Kendrapada district of Odisha in 1979. He has been writing poetry since his school age. He is a graduate in science in the subject of Zoology. After his graduation from Kendrapada Autonomous College, he has completed his Post Graduation in the subject of Odia language and literature from Utkal University. He is now doing PhD on ‘Oral Literature of Bathudi Tribes’ at Utkal University of Culture, Bhubaneswar.
Ranjan Pradhan has completed PGJMC (Diploma in Journalism and Mass Communication) and MJMC (Master in Journalism and Mass Communication) as his professional courses. He starts his professional career from 'Sambad' (the largest Odia daily news paper of Odisha). He experiences both as a sub-editor in the desk and district correspondent in many districts of Odisha.
Ranjan Pradhan starts writing in many Odia magazines and newspapers since 1992 during his school life. In the year of 2003, the first poetry book Matigeeta (The song of the earth) is published. Pradhan's poems are purely folk centric and rich with village experiences. There were the emotional clarity and honesty of experience in his poetry.
Pradhan has written many Odia short stories. He is very popular in the field of Odia short stories. The exceptional thought and exclusive writing style in short stories has made him unique from others. He is a stylish story writer in Odia literature. His Odia short story 'Bapa' (the father) has won the 13th Bhubaneswar Book Fair Rabi Pattanaik Smruti Award in the year of 2007. His three story collections 'Tanujaa Balaku Nei Jete Sabu Bekaaria Gapa', 'Bhitamin' and 'Duma Debata O Anyanya Gapa' have received enormous attention and aclaims from readers as well as literary critic. Then he contemplates on tribal literatures and cultures and continues research on them. As a journalist of one leading Odia daily,'The Sambad', he got opportunities to work in tribal dominated districts of Odisha like Koraput, Keonjhar and Myurbhanj. This was like another turning point to his creative genres. He left no stone unturned to maximize the opportunity in discovering a new area of creativity. It would not be wrong to say the rare and varied experiences he got andknowledge derived are indeed invaluable resources and rewards of his life.
Ranjan Pradhan has got India's most prestigious award, 'Yuva Puraskar-2017'; by Bharatiya Bhasha Parisad, Kolkata and enhanced the glory of Odisha. He has got Sahitya Akademi's travel grant in the year of 2008. During his college period, he has shown his excellency in the field of literature. He got the first prize in State Level Odia short story competition organised by Jagaruka Sahitya Sanskruti Pratisthan, Kendrapada (1998) when he was a college student. Since then he has never looked back and stepped forward. Mr. Pradhan has also gets Srusti o' srasta award-2006 (Umerkote, Nabarangapur district of Odisha) for Odia short stories. He also bags Lekhalekhi Youth Odia Short Story Award-2007 (Youth Odia Short Story Award, Bhubaneswar) for excellence in Odia short stories, Nirvan Yuva Pratibha Samman-2008 (Jayapur, Koraput, Odisha, for Odia short stories), Umakanta Mohapatra Smruti Samman-2008 (Kedar Nath Gabesana Prathisthana, Bhubaneswar for Odia short stories), Gouri
Sankar award-2011, (Shishu Kalam, Bhubaneswar-2011 for tribal research), Paschima Aadibasi Sahitya samman-2013 (Paschima Sahitya Patrika, Bhubaneswar, for Odia short stories), 30th Bhubaneswar book fair Award-2014 for the book 'Aadibasi Nacha O' Geeta', 17th Kalinga Book Fair Award-2014 (Bhubaneswar) for the Book 'Juanga Parbaparbani', 16th Rajadhani Book Fair Award-2015 (Bhubaneswar) for his book 'Gonasika Nandinee; Baitaranee', 19th Manthan Yuba Pratibha Award, Bhubaneswar-2015 (for best Journalist), Yuba Yoti Pratibha Samman-2015, Bhubaneswar (for best Journalist), Kishori Charan Puraskar-2016 (Kishori Charan Smruti Sansada,
Katak) for the Odia short story book 'Bhitamin', Chintamani Behera Smruti Kabita Puraskar-2016, Udala, Mayurbhanj for poetry,Punarnaba Sahitya Samman, Chandol, Kendrapada, 2017(for prose), Galpa Gourav Samman-2017, Pratishruti Pratisthan, Baripada, Mayurbhanj ( for the Odia short story), Pujya Puja Saraswata Samman-2017, Pujya Puja, Baripada, Mayurbhanj ( for the Odia short story), Hazi Asraf Alli Udaya Pratibha Puraskar-2018, Phakir Mohan Sahitya Parisada, Baleswar (For Odia Short Story), 3rd Odisha Journalist Gourav Award-2018, Keonjhar (For Journalism),Balaangi Samman-2018, Balaangi Mahotsav Samiti, Baripada (For Journalism)and so many awards.
Ranjan Pradhan has written many books both in Odia and English languages. The short story collections TANUJAA BALAKU NEI JETESABU BEKARIA GAPA, BHITAMIN and DUMA DEBATA O ANYAANYA GAPA are three masterpeices of the Odia short story world. MAATI GEETA and BHAGABATA TUNGI are two odia poem collections of Mr. Pradhan. Thousands of news feature articles and exclusive news stories relating tribal lives publish in Sambad and other leading Odia news papers and magazines.
Ranjan Pradhan has written BANA DANGARARA GAPA (The books on tribal folk tales of Koraput region). He has collected above a hundred of tribal folk tales from this region. Then he thinks his another research project on Paraja tribal life and their material culture. The book PARAJA JIBANA O SANSKRUTI (in Odia language) is a masterpiece of his research carieer. This book really identifies him as a true tribal researcher. Again he writes a massive book on tribal dance, songs and music of Koraput region. The book AADIBASI NAACHA O GEETA is a mile stone of his research career. In the mean time, Ranjan Pradhan gathers a huge numbers of tribal folk tales from Koraput region. He writes a book TALES FROM HILL AND JUNGLE. This is his first book written in English language.
Another book AEITIHYA, SANSKRUTI O PARYATANA; KEONJHAR regarding heritage, archaeology, culture and tourism of Kendujhar district is another valuable work of Mr. Pradhan. He has done an extensive work on Juang tribal group who are lived in Kenonjhar and Dhenkanal district of Odisha. Mr. Pradhan has written the book JUANGA PARBAPARBANI (an intensive research work on Juang tribes of Odisha). This book contains art, culture, ritual, tradition & festivals of the juang tribe (PTG). Then he has written another book GONASIKA NANDINI BAITARANEE (an intensive research work on the river Baitaranee of Odisha) in Odia language. This is Pradhan's the best seller book and one of the popular books regarding river in India.
In the mean time Ranjan Pradhan gets an opportunity to work in Mayurbhanj district. He joins as the district correspondent of SAMBAD here. His next project starts on archeology, heritage, tourism, rituals, tradition, festival and culture of Mayurbhanj district. Then he writes PARYATANA O PRATNATATTWA: MAYURBHANJ (A massive hand book on Mayurbhanj district and Similipal Bio Sphere with thousands of attractive photos) during his Baripada staying. Next to this project, he plans to write the book BUDHA BALANGARA MAJHI ( an intensive research work on river Budhabalanga of Odisha).
Many of his Odia short stories and tribal features have broadcast in All India Radio. He has presented many talks in AIR. He has participated many programmes and panel discussions in Door Darshan, All India Radio and other media.
