Subrat Kumar Prusty


Subrat Kumar Prusty is an Indian Odia-language scholar, activist, social entrepreneur, literary critique and author. He is the Member Secretary of the Institute of Odia Studies and Research, Bhubaneswar, Odisha. He was prepared the research documentation and instrumental in advocating the classical status to Odia language forming Central Institute of Classical Odia, Odia University and implementation of the Orissa Official Language Act, 1954.

Early life and education

Dr. Subrat Kumar Prusty was born to third son of Late Rajkishore Prusty and Indumati Prusty in the village of Bidyadharpur, Near Jajpur Town, the oldest Capital of Odisha situated on the banks of Budha, a tributary of the Holy Baitarani. After his schooling from Sudarshan Padhi high school, he chose to join N.C. College Jajpur (then affiliated with Utkal University, where he did his B.A. Honours, this was followed by master's degree in Odia Language and Literature with Specialization of Linguistic from Ravenshaw University, Cuttack. During that time, he was the publisher and editor of a Monthly Magazine Maheswati which is published in Jajpur. It was here that he started writing Odia Story and Poem. As a story writer, he own the first literary award in School period. He did his LLB from Madhusudan Law College, Cuttack.

Social Activities

During childhood, Prusty set his foot on social service on his father ways. In his high school student's career, he established a library and book bank for rural pupils who don't have facilities to purchase books for their regular study. To extend the service to a larger sphere by more number of youths he established Sangathan Viswabharatiyam & Ganatantrika Grama Samaj, the organization fought for the untouchables and for their social rights. As a volunteer leader of Sangathan Viswa Bharatiyam, he organised some relief camp and rehabilitation in Super cyclone-hit areas of Coastal Odisha on 31 October 1999 to 10 December 1999. He also participated as a front volunteer of Orissa Disaster Mitigation Mission, Bhubaneswar organised a relief camp in earthquake-hit areas of Gujarat on 31 January 2001 to 10 February 2001.

Research activities

Dr. Prusty qualified UGC- NET- JRF Exam and joined Utkal University as a research scholar. He submitted the thesis entitled "Social Relevance of Odia Novel" is a commendable work. In 2014, he did a PhD at Utkal University. But his tremendous research work, Odia language got classical Status. Recently he thoroughly study many of ancient Indian Rock Paintings, inscriptions and he tries to prove that the Indian Script is not close to the Sumerians, Hurrians, or Elamite. The Indian scripts are mostly clearly related to the cave arts as existed in primitive to modern Indian architecture. Thus the Cave arts are the forerunners of Indian Scripts.

Role of Classical Status for Odia Language

A great work of research activities of Dr. Prusty is Document preparation for classical status to Odia language. When all the scholar and intellectuals of Odisha was accepted that Odia script, language and literature not more than 1000 years back. He proved with sufficient evidence that not only Odia language and script was more than 5000 years but also Odia Literature as old as Sanskrit Literature.
First time he read the rock painting of the Yogimatha of Nuapada District of Odisha which was older script of India. The script ‘Ga’, and ‘o’ was discovered from yogimatha rock painting, this painting saw a person with four animals and write some alphabet. According to Dr. Prusty, that painting created a word Like "Gaitha". This art closely related to this alphabet. This alphabet has similarity to Dhauli and Jaugada Inscription's script of Ashok. He assume it was the ancient form of Indian script and it is the first glimpse of possible origin of the Odia language and script.
He proved that Kharavel's Hatigumpha inscr iption is the real evidence of past Odia cultural, political, ritual & social status and it is the 1st poetic stake inscription. Though Ashok has created many rock edicts and inscription before Kharavela, yet his instructions for administration have been written in a rude and chocked language which has been seen in his inscriptions. On the other hand, the Hatigumpha inscriptions show the flexibility of a language in a sweet flow.
He argued some important points about classical Status for Odia Language. He also proved that Sanskrit as the source of the modern Indo-Aryan languages, classical Odia is the source language of East India and South-East Asia's language. As Sanskrit is the most conservative and least changed of the Indo-Aryan languages, Odia is the conservative and advance updated languages as well that linguists must understand its nature and development. Unlike the other modern languages of India, Odia meets each of these requirements. It is extremely old ; it arose as an entirely independent tradition, with almost no influence from Sanskrit or other languages; and its ancient literature is indescribably vast and rich.
After more than five years of deep Research work without any help and guidance, he prepared a document in personal effort and create political with intellectual movement for which Odia language achieved the classical status.

Organisational Activities

Early students life, he was created or involved various social service organisation. But Soon after the research work, he entered again to active organizational work, formed Janasammilani, Odisha. His views on eradication of poverty rests on setting up industry and reformation in agriculture should be encouraged with related cottage industry as Odisha basically is an agricultural state. His work, for imparting all education in ODIA medium. For this purpose he started giving training to promising students to appear various competitive examinations in Odia medium.,

For Language Movement

MY LANGUAGE MY RIGHT

''Odia Biswabidyalaya Movement''

Odianess in him evoked a spirit of establishing Odia Biswabidyalaya is a dream he is on his toe for its success. For this purpose he opened an Institute of Odia Studies and Research and doing various researches works and he got first success that when Odia declared as a Classical Language by Govt. of India, The institute, which had played an important role in documenting the classical nature of Odia language along with the culture department, hopes to rope in other departments in the future.

''CICO Movement''

After getting Classical Status of Odia Language, now his one-point Mission is Setting up an Odia language University to create a body of knowledge and research in Odia and to develop Odia language as a lingua franca like that of Palli or Sanskrit in ancient India and English in the modem times.

Selected work

Research & Literary Criticism Book