Tapan Kumar Pradhan

{{Short description|Indian writer}} {{Use British English|date=August 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}} {{Infobox writer  | name = Tapan Kumar Pradhan | image = Tapan Kumar Pradhan (2021).jpg | image_size = | alt = | caption = ''Pradhan in 2021'' | pseudonym = | birth_name = | death_date =  | death_place = | resting_place = | occupation = Poet, activist, banker | language = Odia, English, Hindi | nationality = Indian | ethnicity = | education = Doctorate | alma_mater = Utkal University, BJB College | period = 21st century | genre = Poetry, essays | subject = Human rights | movement = | notableworks = ''Kalahandi'' | spouse = Suvashree H | partner = | children = 2 | relatives = | influences = | influenced = | awards = Sahitya Akademi | signature = | signature_alt = | website = | portaldisp = }} '''Tapan Kumar Pradhan''' (born 22 October 1972) is an Indian poet, writer and translator from Odisha.<ref>{{cite web |title=Indian English Poets - by Anjum Anis Khan|url= https://www.scribd.com/document/379166240/Indian-English-Poets |access-date= 11 August 2025}}</ref> He is best known for his poem collection "Kalahandi" which was awarded second place in Sahitya Akademi's Golden Jubilee ''Indian Literature'' Translation Prize for Poetry in 2007.<ref>{{cite web |title=Sahitya Akademi Golden Jubilee ''Indian Literature'' Awards 2007|url= https://www.scribd.com/document/900288014/Sahitya-Akademi-Indian-Literature-Golden-Jubilee-Awards |access-date= 11 August 2025| publisher=Sahitya Akademi}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |author=Staff |title=Indian Literature Golden Jubilee Literary Translation Prize Winners |pages=39–65 |journal=Indian Literature |jstor=23347623 |volume=51 |number=6 |date=November–December 2007 |edition=Golden Jubilee Issue |publisher=Sahitya Akademi}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.infosources.org/what_is/Indian_Literature_(journal).html|title=Sahitya Akademi Indian Literature Translation Award}}</ref> His other works include "Equation", "I, She and the Sea", "Wind in the Afternoon" and "Dance of Shiva".<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.creativeflight.in/tapan-kumar-pradhan-poet-creative|title= Tapan Kumar Pradhan - Poet}}</ref>

==Early life and education== Pradhan studied at Laxmisagar Highschool, BJB College and Utkal University. He also studied briefly at University of Hyderabad, TISS and IIT Kanpur where he discontinued. His father Arakshit Pradhan was an engineer under Government of Odisha but left job in protest against rampant corruption in Government projects. After Arakshit Pradhan left for Himalayas, the family was brought up by his wife Kumudini Pradhan.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Pradhan|first1=Tapan Kumar|title=Kalahandi - The Untold Story|date=12 July 2020|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DtTLzQEACAAJ|publisher=Kohinoor Books|isbn=9788194579717|pages=7–14| access-date=24 January 2022}}</ref>

==Award-winning works== In 2007, Pradhan received the Indian Express<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/15-essays-in-indian-expresscitizens-for-peace-contest/252588|title=Indian Express Citizen for Peace Short List|date=20 December 2007 }}</ref> Citizen for Peace<ref>{{cite web|url=http://citizensforpeace.in/blog/2008/01/10/secular-rethink-essay-contest-results|title=Citizens for Peace Essays on Secularism|access-date=13 February 2008|archive-date=29 January 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080129133845/http://citizensforpeace.in/blog/2008/01/10/secular-rethink-essay-contest-results/|url-status=dead}}</ref> prize from Shyam Benegal for his essays on communal harmony.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://citizensforpeace.in/index.php/secular-rethink/132|title=Living with Differences : Dr Tapan Kumar Pradhan on Communal Harmony in Bhadrak|access-date=12 April 2013|archive-date=22 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222220226/http://citizensforpeace.in/index.php/secular-rethink/132|url-status=dead}}</ref> He has also won First Prize in All-India Inter-bank Hindi Essay Competition for 2007–08,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rbidocs.rbi.org.in/rdocs/Content/PDFs/85868.pdf|title=RBI Rajbhasha Shield Awards 2007–08}}</ref> a prize he also won in 2006–07<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rbi.org.in/scripts/bs_viewcontent.aspx?Id=772|title=Inter Bank Hindi Essay Competition}}</ref> for his essays on micro-finance and financial inclusion. He also won First Prize in the RBIA Silver Jubilee essay competition on Future of Central Banking conducted by Reserve Bank of India in 2007–08. He was the First Prize winner in RBI Brand Building Competition, 2007 for his bold satirical essay "Dreaming the RBI Brand", which created shock waves in the Reserve Bank fraternity. During his student days he had won many literary prizes including Upasika Kamaladevi Award for essays on Buddhism, Shatadru prize for short story and Ankur prize for poetry etc. He was Utkal University literary champion during 1993–94. Pradhan's poem "The Buddha Smiled" won commendation first prize in All India Poetry Competition 2013<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.indianpoetry.org/awards.htm|title=Award Winners – All India Poetry Competition 2013}}</ref> conducted by Poetry Society (India). thumb|Pradhan receiving Inter-Bank Essay First Prize from RBI Governor

==Other literary works== Pradhan's works encompass both secular and spiritual literature.<ref>{{cite web |title= Tapan Kumar Pradhan's - a life story|url= https://imeuswe.in/famous-families/Tapan-Pradhan |access-date= 11 August 2025}}</ref> His poems, essays, sketches and short stories have been published in the journals ''Indian Literature'', ''Journal of Poetry Society'', ''The Statesman'', ''Times of India'' and ''The Samaja''.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Pradhan|first1=Tapan Kumar|title=Kalahandi - The Untold Story|date=12 July 2020|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DtTLzQEACAAJ|publisher=Kohinoor Books|isbn=9788194579717|pages=3–19| access-date=13 January 2022}}</ref> His book “Kalahandi” has been included in literature syllabus of several colleges and universities.<ref>{{cite web|title= Madurai University- English Literature |url= https://www.ladydoakcollege.edu.in/website/English/19%20batch%20pg.docx |access-date= 22 September 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title= Sikkim University - Indian English Literature |url= https://niilmuniversity.in/coursepack/humanities/Indian_english_literature.pdf |access-date= 22 September 2022 |archive-date= 4 October 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20221004184739/https://niilmuniversity.in/coursepack/humanities/Indian_english_literature.pdf |url-status= dead }}</ref> He has also co-authored, edited and commented on the spiritual works of German Christian poet Antony Theodore and mystic Kashmiri poet Lalitha Iyer showing the underlying unity of all world religions. His skillful translation of Urdu poetry helped Munawwar Rana's ghazals reach global audience.<ref>{{Cite news|url = https://kashmirlife.net/how-munawwar-ranas-verses-celebrate-maternal-love-338312/|title = How Munawwar Rana's Poetry Celebrates Maternal Love|date = 15 January 2024|author = Sadaket Ali Malik| newspaper = Kashmir Life}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url = https://newsable.asianetnews.com/entertainment/famous-poet-munawwar-rana-passes-away-due-to-heart-attack-rkk-s79mrv|title = Poet Munawwar Rana Passes Away|date = 16 January 2024| author = Rishika Khana| publisher = Asia Net News}}</ref>

==Human rights and crusade against corruption== In 2009, Pradhan petitioned the Central Information Commission of India to increase transparency in the Performance Appraisal System in RBI.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.indiankanoon.org/doc/397233|title=Central Information Commission Award dated August 9, 2010}}</ref> Pradhan was first person in RBI and public sector employee to obtain his PAR report through RTI Act. As against CIC's view that PAR was "confidential personal information", Pradhan contended that PAR is the appraisal committee's ''impersonal'' evaluation of the ''public'' service rendered by ''public'' servants in their ''impersonal'' capacity in a ''public'' organisation; and hence there was nothing "personal" about PAR.<ref>Appeal No. 34/ 2009-10/RIA 2831/ 2008–09 against Reserve Bank of India</ref> Following his petition, RBI began disclosing PAR reports to all employees<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rti.india.gov.in/cic_decisions/CIC_SM_A_2009_001832_M_50763.pdf|title=CIC Decision on Performance Appraisal Disclosure|access-date=7 April 2013|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304002526/http://rti.india.gov.in/cic_decisions/CIC_SM_A_2009_001832_M_50763.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> before moving over to a more objective method of appraisal called Performance Management System. In the words of Smt Usha Thorat, the ex-Deputy Governor of RBI, Pradhan makes "ingenious use of the RTI Act" to redress individual grievances.<ref>Appeal No 77/ 2009-10/ RIA 3284/ 08-09 of Reserve Bank of India (Order dated 13 September 2009)</ref>

==Professional career== Under UGC Fellowship, Pradhan was awarded the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in 2001 for his dissertation on ''Structural and Economic Dimensions of Communal Conflict''.<ref>"Dimensions of Integration and Conflict in a Cross-cultural Cross-communal Setting : A Comparative Analysis", Utkal University, 2001.</ref> He has researched the Kandh-Pana conflict in Kandhamal district, Hindu-Muslim relations in Bhadrak and Harijan-Savarna caste dynamics at Brahmabarada in Jajpur district of Odisha. He taught Sociology at Fakir Mohan University, Balasore, before joining Reserve Bank of India in 1999 as a Grade-B officer. In 2014, Pradhan left RBI to join Government of Odisha as Director and Additional Secretary in Finance Department. He established transparent score-based ranking of banks on Financial Inclusion parameters for awarding of Government business.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/odisha-selects-15-banks-for-handling-govt-business-116053101258_1.html|title=Odisha Selects 15 Banks for Govt Business (''Business Standard'', 31 May 2016|newspaper=Business Standard India |date=31 May 2016 |last1=Dash |first1=Jayajit }}</ref>

==Personal life== In 2001 Pradhan married Suvashree, a trained Odishi dancer.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.strictlyweddings.com/info/notable-marriages/tapan-kumar-pradhan-848329 |title= Tapan Kumar Pradhan Marriage Information |access-date= 2022-09-22 }}</ref> The couple have a son and a daughter.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.veethi.com/india-people/tapan_kumar_pradhan-profile-4530-25.htm|title=Poet Profile - Tapan kumar Pradhan|work=Veethi.com|access-date=2019-07-14}}</ref>

==Bibliography== *''Kalahandi - The Untold Story'' (2020) *''I, She and the Sea'' (2019) *''Wind in the Afternoon'' (2017) *''Kandhamal Riots - Origin & the Aftermath'' (2015) *''भारत में कृषि पर्यटन व कृषि वाणिज्य - चुनौतियाँ तथा संभावनाएं'' (2009) *''Structural & Economic Dimensions of Communal Conflict in India'' (2002)

===Edited works=== *''Psalms of Love'' (2021) *''I Am Your Baby, Mother'' (2020) *''Songs of Lust and Love'' (2020) *''Jesus Christ in Love'' (2019) *''Songs of Sadness'' (2019)

===Translations=== *''Kalahandi'' (2007) :- from Odia '''କଳାହାଣ୍ଡି''' by author *''Ghazals'' (2022) :- from Urdu '''غزلیں''' by Munawwar Rana

===Journal articles=== * {{Cite journal | last1 = Tayade | first1 = Dr S. A. | title = Gender Subaltern in Tapan Kumar Pradhan's "Kalahandi" & "Khap's Diktat" | journal = Lang Lit | volume = 3| pages=119–125| year = 2021| issn = 2349-5189 }} * {{Cite journal | last1 = Pradhan | first1 = Tapan Kumar | title = Kalahandi | journal = Indian Literature | volume = 51 | pages=47–48| year = 2007 | issue = 6 | jstor = 23347624 | url= https://www.jstor.org/stable/23347624}} * {{Cite journal | last1 = Pradhan | first1 = Tapan Kumar | title = Equation | journal = Indian Literature | volume = 51 | pages=45–46| year = 2007 | issue = 6 | jstor = 23347623 | url= https://www.jstor.org/stable/23347623}} * {{Cite journal | last1 = Pradhan | first1 = Tapan Kumar | title = Hour of Coming | journal = Indian Literature | volume = 51 | pages=49–51| year = 2007 | issue = 6 | jstor = 23347625 | url= https://www.jstor.org/stable/23340231}} * {{Cite journal | last1 = Pradhan | first1 = Tapan Kumar | title = Remembering Father | journal = Creative Flights | volume = 3 | pages=74–75| year = 2022 | issue = 1 | issn = 2582-6158 | url= https://www.creativeflight.in/remembering-father-tapan-kumar-pradhan}} * {{Cite journal | last1 = Pradhan | first1 = Dr Tapan Kumar | title = A Framework for Measuring Financial Inclusion in India - Bridging Gaps Between Theory & Practice | journal = Journal of Financial Counselling & Planning | volume = 34 | pages=169–183| year = 2023 | issue = 2 | issn = 1052-3073 | url= https://connect.springerpub.com/content/sgrjfcp/34/2/169}} * {{Cite journal | last1 = प्रधान | first1 = तपन कुमार | title = वित्तीय समावेशन में बैंकों की भूमिका | journal = बैंकिंग चिंतन | volume = 20 | year = 2008 | issue = 8 }}

===Books on the author=== * {{cite book | last1 = Surhone | first = Lambert M. | last2 = Tennoe| first2 = Mariam T. | title = Tapan Kumar Pradhan | publisher = International Books | location = Beau Basin | year = 2011 | isbn = 978-61-360172-4-2}}

==Notes== {{reflist|30em}}

==External links== {{Portal bar|Biography|India|Literature|Poetry|Society}}

{{wikisource}} {{wikiquote}} {{commons category}} *[http://www.indiankanoon.org/doc/397233/ Pradhan's Landmark RTI Queries]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pradhan, Tapan Kumar}} Category:Indian poets Category:Poets from Odisha Category:Odia-language writers Category:English-language Indian poets Category:Indian male poets Category:21st-century Indian poets Category:21st-century Indian writers Category:Living people Category:Indian academics Category:Utkal University alumni Category:All India Poetry Prize Category:21st-century Indian translators Category:People from Bhubaneswar Category:1972 births