The correct answer is: b) Sitakant Mahapatra.
Sitankant Mahapatra (1937-2014) was an Indian poet, writer, and critic. He is considered one of the most important Odia poets of the modern era. His poetry is known for its evocative imagery and its exploration of themes such as love, loss, and the human condition.
Mahapatra was born in Cuttack, Odisha, India. He studied English literature at Ravenshaw College and the University of Delhi. After graduating, he worked as a teacher and a journalist. He began writing poetry in the early 1960s. His first collection of poems, “Agnivarna” (1964), was published when he was 27 years old.
Mahapatra’s poetry has been translated into many languages, including English, French, German, and Spanish. He has won numerous awards for his work, including the Sahitya Akademi Award, the Jnanpith Award, and the Padma Shri.
In addition to his poetry, Mahapatra also wrote several novels, short stories, and essays. He was also a critic and a translator. He died in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India in 2014.
The other options are incorrect because:
- Ramakanta Rath (1928-2017) was also an important Odia poet, but he is not as well-known for his evocative poetry as Mahapatra.
- Brajanath Rath (1934-2016) was a novelist and short story writer, not a poet.
- Soubhagya Kumar Mishra (born 1950) is a contemporary Odia poet, but he is not as well-known as Mahapatra.