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{{short description|Writer and poet}}
{{short description|Writer and poet}}
Damayanti Beshra was born on 18th February in 1962 at Boberjoda in the Mayurbhanj district of Odisha.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-10-12|title=Here Is How Padmashri Recipient Damayanti Beshra Is Reviving Santhali Literature|url=https://www.youthkiawaaz.com/2020/10/padmashri-damayanti-beshra/|access-date=2021-10-02|website=Youth Ki Awaaz|language=en}}</ref> She[[File:Damayanti Beshra.jpg|thumb|Damayanti Beshra]]
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2023}}
is a [[Santali language|Santali]] writer and poet. She was awarded the [[List of Sahitya Akademi Award winners for Santali|Sahitya Akademi Award]] in 2009.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://sahitya-akademi.gov.in/library/meettheauthor/damayanti_beshra.pdf | title=Sahitya Akademi Meet The Author Damayanti Beshra | publisher=[[Sahitya Akademi]] | date=1 September 2013 | access-date=26 January 2020}}</ref> She also publishes the first  women's magazine in Santali language called ''Karam Dar''.
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2023}}
{{Infobox person
| name              = Damayanti Beshra
| image              = Damayanti Beshra receiving Padmashree from President Kovind.jpg
| caption            = Damayanti Beshra receiving [[Padma Shri]] award from President [[Ram Nath Kovind]]
| birth_name        = Dhigij
| birth_date        = 18 February 1962
| birth_place        = Bobeijoda, [[Mayurbhanj district|Mayurbhanj]], [[Odisha]]
| education          = [[Bachelor of Arts|B.A]], [[Master of Arts|M.A]], PhD in [[Odia language|Odia]]
| alma_mater        = [[Rama Devi Women's College]], Bhubaneswar<br/> [[Utkal University]]
| occupation        = Lecturer, Politician
| party              = [[Bharatiya Janata Party]], (2024 - Present)
| known_for          = Poet and writer in [[Santali language|Santali]]
| spouse            = {{Marriage|[[Gangadhar Hansda]]|1988}}
| parents            = Rajmal Majhi (Father) <br/> Pungi Majhi (Mother)
| awards            = [[Sahitya Akademi Award]]<br/>Literature Award
| honours            = [[Padma Shri]]
}}
'''Damayanti Beshra''' (b. 18 February 1962) is a [[Santali language|Santali]] author and [[Adivasi]] researcher. She is known for literature of Santali language.<ref name="meet the author Damayanti">{{cite web | url=http://sahitya-akademi.gov.in/library/meettheauthor/damayanti_beshra.pdf | title=Sahitya Akademi Meet The Author Damayanti Beshra | publisher=[[Sahitya Akademi]] | date=1 September 2013 | access-date=26 January 2020}}</ref> In 2020, she was honoured by [[Padma Shri]] for her remarkable contribution to Santhali literature.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Manoj Das, Prashant Patnaik Among 11 From Odisha Receive Padma Awards From President|url=https://odishatv.in/news/miscellaneous/manoj-das-prashant-patnaik-among-11-from-odisha-receive-padma-awards-from-president-163445/amp|access-date=2021-11-14|website=odishatv.in}}</ref>


She is the first female writer in the language to author and publish an anthology of poems ‘Jiwi Jharna’ in 1994.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Odisha’s padma prides|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/odisha/2020/jan/26/odishas-padma-prides-2094679.html|access-date=2021-10-02|website=The New Indian Express}}</ref>She was awarded the [[Padma Shri]] in 2020.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/odisha/2020/jan/26/odishas-padma-prides-2094679.html | title=Odisha’s padma prides | publisher=The New Indian Express | date=26 January 2020 | access-date=26 January 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/former-ministers-arun-jaitley-sushma-swaraj-and-george-fernandes-given-padma-vibhushan/articleshow/73617205.cms | title=Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj, George Fernandes given Padma Vibhushan posthumously. Here's full list of Padma award recipients | publisher=[[The Economic Times]] | date=26 January 2020 | access-date=26 January 2020}}</ref>
She was awarded the [[List of Sahitya Akademi Award winners for Santali|Sahitya Akademi Award]] in 2009. She also published the first  women's magazine in Santali language called ''Karam Dar''.
 
She is the first female writer in the language to author and publish an anthology of poems ''Jiwi Jharna'' in 1994.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Odisha's padma prides|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/odisha/2020/jan/26/odishas-padma-prides-2094679.html|access-date=2021-10-02|website=The New Indian Express|date=26 January 2020 }}</ref> She was awarded the [[Padma Shri]] in 2020.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/odisha/2020/jan/26/odishas-padma-prides-2094679.html | title=Odisha's padma prides | publisher=The New Indian Express | date=26 January 2020 | access-date=26 January 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/former-ministers-arun-jaitley-sushma-swaraj-and-george-fernandes-given-padma-vibhushan/articleshow/73617205.cms | title=Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj, George Fernandes given Padma Vibhushan posthumously. Here's full list of Padma award recipients | publisher=[[The Economic Times]] | date=26 January 2020 | access-date=26 January 2020}}</ref>
==Early life==
Damyanti Beshra was born on 19 February 1962 in Bobeijoda  village in Mayurbhanj district of Odisha as the eldest daughter of mother Pungi Majhi and father Rajmal Majhi. His nickname was Dhigij. According to Santhali tradition, the name was given after her grandmother. Even though there was no school in his village Babeijoda, a local resident used to teach the children in a small shade where she got his primary education. Along with other students, she also learned to write letters on the ground with Chalk. Her paternal uncle was very when he came to know that she was interested in studies and took her and got her admitted in a government school of Deuli village. There she studied till third class. After that, she studied till class 4 and 5 in the school of Chandida, 2 km away from their village. From class 6 to class 11, he studied at T.&R.W. Girls High School, Rairangpur. She passed matriculation there in 1977. As there were no colleges near Rairangpur, she enrolled at [[Rama Devi Women's University]], Bhubaneswar, as an undergraduate. She passed I.A. in 1979 and then graduated in 1981 with honors in Odia. In 1983, she passed M.A.from [[Utkal University]] with a special paper in Linguistics.<ref name="meet the author Damayanti"/>
 
==Awards and recognition==
* 2009: Awarded the [[Sahitya Akademi Award]] in 2009.<ref>{{cite news |title=Poets dominate this year's Sahitya Akademi Awards |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/Poets-dominate-this-yearrsquos-Sahitya-Akademi-Awards/article16854946.ece |work=The Hindu |date=23 December 2009 |language=en-IN}}</ref>
* 2020: Received [[Padma Shri]] for her remarkable contribution to Santhali literature.<ref>{{cite news |title=12 Odias honoured with Padma awards |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/odisha/2021/nov/09/12-odias-honoured-with-padma-awards-2381303.html |work=The New Indian Express}}</ref>


==References==
==References==
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{{Padma Shri Award Recipients in Literature & Education}}
{{Padma Shri Award Recipients in Literature & Education}}
{{Padma Award winners of Odisha}}


{{authority control}}
{{authority control}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Beshra, Damayanti}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Beshra, Damayanti}}
[[Category:1962 births]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Sahitya Akademi Award in Santali]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Sahitya Akademi Award in Santali]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Santali people]]
[[Category:Santali people]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri in literature & education]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Adivasi women]]
[[Category:Adivasi women]]
 
[[Category:Bharatiya Janata Party politicians from Odisha]]
 
{{India-writer-stub}}

Latest revision as of 20:50, 17 March 2026


Damayanti Beshra
Damayanti Beshra receiving Padma Shri award from President Ram Nath Kovind
Born
Dhigij

18 February 1962
Bobeijoda, Mayurbhanj, Odisha
EducationB.A, M.A, PhD in Odia
Alma materRama Devi Women's College, Bhubaneswar
Utkal University
OccupationLecturer, Politician
Known forPoet and writer in Santali
Political partyBharatiya Janata Party, (2024 - Present)
Spouse(s)
(
m. 1988)
Parent(s)Rajmal Majhi (Father)
Pungi Majhi (Mother)
AwardsSahitya Akademi Award
Literature Award
HonoursPadma Shri

Damayanti Beshra (b. 18 February 1962) is a Santali author and Adivasi researcher. She is known for literature of Santali language.[1] In 2020, she was honoured by Padma Shri for her remarkable contribution to Santhali literature.[2]

She was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award in 2009. She also published the first women's magazine in Santali language called Karam Dar.

She is the first female writer in the language to author and publish an anthology of poems Jiwi Jharna in 1994.[3] She was awarded the Padma Shri in 2020.[4][5]

Early life[edit | edit source]

Damyanti Beshra was born on 19 February 1962 in Bobeijoda village in Mayurbhanj district of Odisha as the eldest daughter of mother Pungi Majhi and father Rajmal Majhi. His nickname was Dhigij. According to Santhali tradition, the name was given after her grandmother. Even though there was no school in his village Babeijoda, a local resident used to teach the children in a small shade where she got his primary education. Along with other students, she also learned to write letters on the ground with Chalk. Her paternal uncle was very when he came to know that she was interested in studies and took her and got her admitted in a government school of Deuli village. There she studied till third class. After that, she studied till class 4 and 5 in the school of Chandida, 2 km away from their village. From class 6 to class 11, he studied at T.&R.W. Girls High School, Rairangpur. She passed matriculation there in 1977. As there were no colleges near Rairangpur, she enrolled at Rama Devi Women's University, Bhubaneswar, as an undergraduate. She passed I.A. in 1979 and then graduated in 1981 with honors in Odia. In 1983, she passed M.A.from Utkal University with a special paper in Linguistics.[1]

Awards and recognition[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. 1.0 1.1 "Sahitya Akademi Meet The Author Damayanti Beshra" (PDF). Sahitya Akademi. 1 September 2013. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  2. "Manoj Das, Prashant Patnaik Among 11 From Odisha Receive Padma Awards From President". odishatv.in. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  3. "Odisha's padma prides". The New Indian Express. 26 January 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2021.
  4. "Odisha's padma prides". The New Indian Express. 26 January 2020. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  5. "Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj, George Fernandes given Padma Vibhushan posthumously. Here's full list of Padma award recipients". The Economic Times. 26 January 2020. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  6. "Poets dominate this year's Sahitya Akademi Awards". The Hindu. 23 December 2009.
  7. "12 Odias honoured with Padma awards". The New Indian Express.