[citation needed] Mahanta was born in Chitrada, Mayurbhanj, Orissa, India to Shri Shiva Prasad and Satyabhama Mohanta.
He successfully defended his thesis "Odishara Kurmali Lokagita" (Kudmali/Kurmali Folk Songs of Orissa) in 1988 at the same university.
[citation needed] Mohanta was a Sub-Inspector of Schools for the Government of Orissa[1] and worked with Basanta Kishore Sahoo and founder Manindra Mohanty for the organisation Research Institute for Oriya Children's Literature.
[2] Mahanta has two 2008 textbooks that were added to state curricula by the Government of Orissa in the 2009-2010 academic year: Odisha ra srasta adibasi loka katha, Part 1 and Itihasaru sikshiba aasa.
Additionally, he served as editor-in-chief for the folklore journals Pharua (1998-2002), Kudmi Katha (1995-2008), and [citation needed] Bandana.