TNI Bureau: Eminent Odia poet, playwright, art historian and former IAS officer Jagannath Prasad (JP) Das (90) passed away at his residence in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday night.

Born in Puri district in 1936, Das joined the IAS in 1958 and earned recognition for his relief work as Collector of Kalahandi during the 1965-66 drought and famine. He took premature retirement in 1984 to dedicate himself to literature and cultural pursuits.

A leading figure in modern Odia literature, he authored several acclaimed works and was honoured with the Saraswati Samman in 2006. He also made notable contributions to Odia theatre, translation and art history.

With his demise, Odisha has lost one of its most respected literary and cultural personalities.