Jayanta Mahapatra was an Indian poet. He is the first Indian poet to win a Sahitya Akademi award for English poetry. He was the author of poems such as "Indian Summer" and "Hunger", which are regarded as classics in modern Indian English literature. He was awarded a Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian honour in India in 2009, but he returned the award in 2015 to protest against rising intolerance in India.
Manoj Das was an Indian author who wrote in Odia and English. In 2000, Manoj Das was awarded the Saraswati Samman. He was awarded Padma Shri in 2001, the fourth-highest Civilian Award in India, and Padma Bhusan in 2020, the third-highest Civilian Award in India for his contribution to the field of Literature & Education.
Odia literature is literature written in the Odia language, mostly from the Indian state of Odisha. The modern Odia language is mostly formed from Tadbhava words with significant Sanskrit (Tatsama) influences, along with loanwords from Desaja, English, Hindustani (Hindi/Urdu), Persian, and Arabic. Its earliest written texts date from around 1000 CE. The earliest Odia newspaper was Utkala Deepika, first published on August 4, 1866.
Sitakant Mahapatra is an Indian poet and literary critic in Odia as well as English. He served in the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) from 1961 until he retired in 1995, and has held ex officio posts such as the Chairman of National Book Trust, New Delhi since then.
Nanda Kishore Bal, was an Indian poet of the era of initial modernity in Odia poetry. He was born at Kusupur village in the Cuttack district of Odisha. He was initially named as Rasananda Jena. Later he was adopted by her aunt and then came the name Nanda Kishore Bal. He is popularly known as "Palli Kabi" for his tender lyrics, celebrating the beauty of rural Odisha in his poems.
Ramesh Prasad Mohapatra was an Indian archaeologist and scholar on Odia Studies. He served as curator for archaeology at the Odisha State Museum from 1963 to 1989 and made significant contributions to historical research, especially in the fields of archaeology, art history, religion, and other aspects of Odia cultural history.
Brajanath Ratha was an Indian poet who wrote in Odia. Brajanath Ratha is internationally recognised and is the recipient of many prestigious awards like the Odisha Sahitya Academy Award, Vishuba Award, Gokarnika Award, First Shudramuni Sahitya Award and Honoured by South Korea's Ambassador, from Global Cooperation Society International, Seol, Republic of Korea for Contribution in World welfare, Cooperation and Services.
Pratibha Satpathy is a poet of Odia literature. She has been recognised as one of the leading poets of the country and has been honoured with the Sahitya Akademi Award.
Artaballabha Mohanty, was a notable writer and literary critique.
Kanan Mishra (1944–2015) was an Odia writer.
Natabara Samantaray was an Odia writer and literary critic. Some of his known literary historical works are Odia Sahityara Itihasa (1803-1920), Adhunika Odia Sahityara Bhittibhumi and Vyasakabi Fakirmohan. His critical review included works of many noted Odia authors like Fakir Mohan Senapati and Radhanath Ray. His historical research includes all of the major Odia writings published during 1803 until 1920 which accentuate the British Raj and its impact in coastal Odisha, and a critical analysis of the modern Odia literature.
Paramita Satpathy is an Indian writer. Paramita is the daughter of Sahitya Akademi Award winner poet Pratibha Satpathy and Nityananda Satpathy.
Abhimanyu Samanta Singhara was an 18th-century Odia poet born in Balia, Jajpur best known as the writer of the kabya Bidagdha Chintamani. Abhimanyu was one of the important musician-poets in the tradition of Odissi music in the 18th century, composing mainly in the Chhānda style. He has also written many Odia folk songs like Bagha Gita, Chadhei Gita. He has written many poems about the love between Radha and Krishna.
Kanhu Charan Mohanty was an Indian Odia language novelist who wrote fifty-six novels in a career spanning over six decades from 1930 to 1985. He is considered "one of the most popular and celebrated novelists of Odisa". Mohanty was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1958 for his novel, Kaa, published in 1956, and was one of the fellows of the Sahitya Akademi. Mohanty died on 6 April 1994 at the age of 87.
Basanta Kumari Patnaik was an Odia language novelist, short story writer, playwright, poet and essayist; considered to be one of the pioneers in Odia literature. She became famous for her three novels: Amada Bata, Chorabali and Alibha Chita, among which Amada Bata has been adapted into an Odia film by same name.
Hussain Rabi Gandhi was an Indian Odia writer of the late-twentieth century, a politician, a public intellectual and a cultural activist hailing from the Indian state of Odisha. Being a founder member of Biju Janata Dal, he served as the general secretary of the party from upon its formation in 1998 till 2005. In 1994 the title of Biplabi Loka Kabi was conferred upon him by the Mayor of Cuttack. He was also awarded with the title of Utkala Jyoti in 1996 by the then Deputy chief minister of Odisha, Basant Kumar Biswal on the behalf of Freedom Fighter's Organisation. Gandhi primarily wrote in Odia language and was bestowed with the Secular India Harmony Award in 1993 by the former President of India, Giani Zail Singh and with the Gangadhar Meher Kabita award in 2015 for his notable contributions to the field of Odia poetry. Hussain served as the President of Odisha Sahitya Akademi (2008–2010). He was famously known as the Gandhi of Korei and was regarded as a bridge between Western Odisha and Coastal Odisha. He also served as Lead Member of Smt. Nandini Satpathy Memorial Trust (SNSMT).
Godabarish Mohapatra was a story writer and poet in Odia literature. He was also a journalist of Odisha, best known as the editor of "Niankhunta", a monthly criticism magazine, and "Tuan Tuin", a monthly children's magazine.
Ramachandra Behera is an Odia story writer, novelist, dramatist and lecturer. He received the state sahitya academy award for his novel "Abhinayara Paridhi" in 1993.
Sumanyu Satpathy is an Indian academic, who has taught at the Delhi University, New Delhi and North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong. Before taking up his current affiliation at KR Mangalam University as Professor of Eminence, Satpathy was Professor and Chair at the Department of English, University of Delhi; Fellow at the Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Rashtrapati Nivas, Shimla; and Distinguished Fellow at the Michael J Osborne Institute of Advanced Studies, La Trobe University. As a visiting professor, he has taught at the University of Granada, Spain; Jamia Millia Islamia, Frankfurt University, Germany; Exeter University, England and La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia among several others. His notable works include Modernity, Print and Sahitya: The Making of a New Literary Culture, 1866-1919, Reading Literary Culture: Perspectives from Orissa and Will to Argue: Studies in Late Colonial and Post-colonial Controversies.
