A path-breaking and historic book The lost World of Sarala Devi edited by Central University of Orissa, Koraput Vice-Chancellor Prof Sachidananda Mohanty was published by Oxford University Press (OUP). This is the 29th book of Prof Mohanty and the second to be published by the OUP.

According to the book, a multifaceted personality and a prolific Odia writer, Sarala Devi (1904-1986), was a noted freedom fighter, feminist, and social activist of her times. Her work covers many forms, including prose, fiction, play, literary criticism, and biography. This book brings together some of Sarala Devi’s best writings, including her charming tales for children with fascinating characters. Far ahead of her time, and completely forgotten now, she voiced important social and political concerns through her works and advocated a larger role for women in the public sphere.

Edited by Sachidananda Mohanty, this compilation of lucid pieces translated from Odia not only enables us to grasp the development of Indian feminism but also offers a glimpse into the lost world of a reformer with a fiery spirit. Prof Mohanty does justice to this complicated woman by his selection from her writings and recognition of changes in her position on certain issues. The book will encourage additional research of value to women’s history.

Prof Mohanty is a former Head, Department of English, University of Hyderabad. He has done pioneering work in archival research and published extensively in the fields of British, postcolonial, gender, and translation studies.

He is the recipient of several national and international awards including those from the British Council, the Salzburg, the Katha and the Fulbright