Growing up surrounded by books, Paramita Satpathy, born on August 30, 1965, was drawn to the world of literature from an early age. With a lineage rooted in poetry and writing, she is the daughter of renowned Sahitya Akademi Award-winning poet and IRS officer of 1989 batch Pratibha Satpathy. Her father, Nityananda Satpathy, was also a professor, and her childhood was marked by literary gatherings, poetry recitations, and the creative influence of her mother. It’s no surprise, then, that Paramita’s journey into the world of literature began at a young age, ultimately leading her to win the Sahitya Akademi Award herself in 2016 for her short-story collection, Prapti.
THE BEGINNINGS OF A PROLIFIC CAREER
Paramita’s first published short story appeared in Jhankar magazine in 1985, marking the beginning of what would become a distinguished writing career. Despite her early start, it wasn’t until her graduation years that she began to recognize the depth of literature. Reflecting on her early literary influences, she shared with Indian Masterminds , “I was always around books…though I didn’t understand everything back then, I enjoyed the ‘words, the pages, and the compositions,’” recalling how she would pore over classics and Russian literature, often from her family’s personal library.
Balancing her passion for writing with a demanding career in the Indian Revenue Service, which she joined in 1989, Paramita’s literary prowess flourished. Her works, ranging from Antaranga Chhala to Chandan ke Phool, explore nuanced human emotions and cultural complexities, bringing Odia literature to a broader audience. Several of her stories have been translated into Hindi, English, Bengali, Telugu, and Marathi, bridging the linguistic divide and allowing her stories to reach readers nationwide.
A MOTHER’S LEGACY
Paramita’s mother, Pratibha Satpathy, remains her primary source of inspiration. A celebrated poet herself, Pratibha’s literary influence permeated Paramita’s life, shaping her creative path. Reflecting on her childhood, Paramita recalled, “I was reciting poems at literary events and surrounded by writers… My mother would get so immersed in her writing that it was as if we didn’t exist around her.”
This unique environment fostered Paramita’s passion for storytelling. She recounts the unforgettable experience of accompanying her mother to Delhi in 2000 when Pratibha received the Sahitya Akademi Award. “Little did I know that I would one day stand on that same stage,” she said with pride, looking back on her mother’s influence and her own eventual achievement of the same prestigious honor.
AN EVOLVING RELATIONSHIP WITH LITERATURE
For Paramita, literature has been a journey of discovery. Initially drawn to short stories, she found satisfaction in the brief but powerful exploration of single events or emotions. “Short stories feel like a romantic date,” she shared. “They’re crisp, intense, and leave the reader wanting more.” Over time, however, her literary ambitions expanded, and she ventured into novel writing. Working on her fourth novel currently, she compares this more extensive process to “a long love affair,” where the canvas is broad, allowing her to create entire worlds and complex relationships.
Paramita has re-read some of her favorite novels over the years, experiencing different emotions each time. Her reading journey through For Whom the Bell Tolls was particularly transformative. “As a young girl, it struck me as adventurous,”she shared. “Later, as I grew older, I saw it through a more nuanced lens, understanding the complex emotions and human frailty it depicts.”
Her fascination with diverse perspectives is also seen in her choice of authors and the depth with which she reads their works. From Indian voices like Amrita Pritam to Western writers like Sylvia Plath, she has found a way to connect these influences with her own storytelling, which often centers on the resilience and complexity of women’s lives.
OVERCOMING LANGUAGE BARRIERS
A proponent of making literature accessible, Paramita values translation as a means of bringing Odia literature to a broader audience. “There’s such good literature in Indian languages, but we can’t read each other’s works without translation,” she noted. Despite her best efforts, learning Bengali and Malayalam proved challenging, though her love for these languages remains strong. Instead, she reads translated works, recognizing that while translations may lose some nuances, they still convey the beauty of the original literature.
THE CHALLENGE OF TIME
Balancing a career in the Income Tax Department as Commissioner, Paramita admits that time is always a constraint. However, she has refused to let this impact her creative journey. Writing remains a deeply personal and reflective activity, one she’s determined to continue despite the challenges. With humor and candor, she says, “I wouldn’t blame my job—it’s my own laziness at times,” adding that while she has less time than she’d like for literary pursuits, she makes the most of each moment.
Her work has gained such popularity that there have even been calls to adapt her stories for the screen. While the idea excites her, she remains uncertain, stating candidly, “I’m not a scriptwriter, and I don’t know if a film could capture the same essence.” Yet, she concedes that seeing her stories in a theater someday isn’t out of the question.
A NEW NOVEL IN 2025
Currently, Paramita is working on her fifth novel, set to be completed by early 2025. She remains passionate about the project, finding the longer form of writing as absorbing as ever. “It’s like building a house with rooms and skies where you can do anything,” she explained, likening the experience to the thrill of exploring new territory. However, personal reasons have delayed its progress, though she is confident that she will complete the first draft soon.
As she looks ahead, Paramita Satpathy stands as a luminary in Odia literature, bridging generations and languages with her evocative writing. From her earliest influences under her mother’s watchful eye to her accolades and forthcoming work, her journey is a testament to the transformative power of storytelling—a legacy deeply rooted in family, heritage, and a lifelong love for the written word.
