Jagannath Prasad Das, the Indian writer and poet known for his work in Odia, died on June 3, 2026, at the age of 90.
Born in Puri on April 26, 1936, he studied at Ravenshaw College and the University of Allahabad before beginning his career with a short teaching stint as an assistant professor at the University of Allahabad. He later joined the Indian Administrative Service, serving in the Odisha and central governments before taking premature retirement and settling in Delhi.
Das was also recognized for writing in several forms, including poetry, fiction and drama, and for translating his own Odia work as well as works by other writers into Odia and English. His books included Ahnika, Desha Kala Patra and Prathama Purusha, and he received honors such as the Saraswati Samman, the Sarala Puraskar and the Sahitya Akademi Award in Odia.