Odia is an Indo-Aryan language spoken in the Indian state of Odisha. It is the official language in Odisha, where native speakers make up 82% of the population, and it is also spoken in parts of West Bengal, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Odia is one of the many official languages of India; it is the official language of Odisha and the second official language of Jharkhand.
Bhubaneswar is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Odisha, located in the Khordha district. The region, especially the old town, was historically often depicted as Chakra Kshetra and Ekamra Kshetra. Bhubaneswar is dubbed the "Temple City", a nickname earned because of the 700 temples which once stood there. In contemporary times, it has emerged as an education hub and an attractive business destination.
The Odia (ଓଡ଼ିଆ), formerly spelled Oriya, are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group native to the Indian state of Odisha who speak the Odia language. They constitute a majority in the eastern coastal state, with significant minority populations existing in the neighboring states of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and West Bengal.
Buxi Jagabandhu Bidyadhar Autonomous College, better known as BJB Autonomous College, is a college in Bhubaneswar in Odisha, India that offers courses at primarily the higher secondary and undergraduate levels.
Ravenshaw University, formerly known as Ravenshaw College, is a co-educational state university situated in Cuttack, Odisha on the eastern coast of India. Founded as Ravenshaw College in 1868, the institution became a university in 2006. The university has nine schools, thirty three academic departments and a student enrolment of nearly 8,000. It is one of the oldest educational institutes in the country and its history is synonymous with the history of modern Odisha.
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.
Odisha is one of the 28 states of India, located on the eastern coast. It is surrounded by the states of West Bengal to the northeast, Jharkhand to the north, Chhattisgarh to the west and northwest, and Andhra Pradesh to the south and southwest. Odia is the official and most widely spoken language, spoken by 33.2 million according to the 2001 Census. The modern state of Odisha was established on 1 April 1936, as a province in British India, and consisted predominantly of Odia-speaking regions. April 1 is celebrated as Odisha Day.
The Odia cinema, colloquially known as Ollywood, is the Odia language Indian film industry, based in Bhubaneshwar and Cuttack in Odisha, India. The name Ollywood is a portmanteau of the words Odia and Hollywood.
Ramesh Prasad Mohapatra was an 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.
Bhubaneswar Behera was an engineer, writer and scholar from the Kalahandi district of Odisha.
Odia diaspora are people of Odia ancestry residing outside the Indian state of Odisha.
The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee is the unit of the Indian National Congress for the state of Odisha. It is responsible for organizing and coordinating the party's activities and campaigns within the state, as well as selecting candidates for local, state, and national elections in Odisha.
Jagannath Prasad Das is an Indian writer, poet,painter, playwright and novelist who writes in Odia.
Prabhat Nalini Das was an Indian public intellectual, academic and university president. She served as a professor of English and head of the English Department at Lady Shri Ram College, Delhi University; Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur; Utkal University and Ranchi University. She was the first Director/Dean of the Humanities Division at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur; Founder-Professor and Head of the Department of English at Utkal University for almost 19 years, and Chairman of Utkal University's Post Graduate Council; and the Pro-Vice-Chancellor of North Eastern Hill University, a Central University established by an act of the Parliament of India, with independent charge of its Kohima, Nagaland campus.
Subrat Kumar Prusty is an Indian Odia-language scholar, activist, social entrepreneur, literary critic and author. He is Member Secretary of the Institute of Odia Studies and Research, Bhubaneswar, Odisha. He was instrumental in preparing the research documents, advocating the awarding of Classical Language status to Odia, forming Central Institute of Classical Odia, Odia University and implementation of the Odisha Official Language Act, 1954. He was awarded the Presidential Certificate of Honour and Maharshi Badrayan Vyas Samman – 2019 for Classical Odia.
Mohapatra Nilamani Sahoo, surname also spelt Sahu, was an Indian Odia language short story writer. He received several literary awards over his career, including the 1979 Odisha Sahitya Academy Award for Akasha Patala, and the 1983 Sarala Award and the 1984 Sahitya Akademi Award in Odia, for Abhisapta Gandharba. Sahoo died on 25 June 2016 after multiple organ failures.
Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya is a performing arts-cum-educational institution in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India.
Mardala is a classical percussive instrument native to the east Indian state of Odisha, traditionally used as the primary accompaniment in Odissi classical music. The instrument is different from other instruments that might have similar names in the Indian subcontinent due to its unique construction, acoustic features and traditional playing technique.
PanditRamhari Das is a leading singer, composer, musicologist and Guru of Odissi music. Known for his renditions, compositions, lecture-demonstrations and writings, Das has served as a professor and led the Odissi vocal department in prominent musical institutions of Odisha, including the Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya and the Utkal University of Culture. He is the founder of Ramhari Das Odissi Gurukula at Biragobindapur, Puri. For his contributions to Odissi music, Das received the Sangeet Natak Akademi award in 2008.
