Pratibha Ray is an eminent Odia writer and has penned several novels, short stories and travelogues. Born in a remote village of Odisha, Pratibha believes that life and love are synonymous. As a child, she was friends with children from marginalised communities. It was their pain and sufferings that prompted her to write. She has been actively involved in social reforms and has raised voice against social injustice. Her first book Barsha Basanta Baishakha, written in 1974, was a best-seller. Her novel Aparichita was adapted into a film that won the best film story award from the state government.