Odisha on Wednesday paid rich tributes to ‘Vyasa Kabi’ Fakir Mohan Senapati, the legendary figure regarded as the father of modern Odia literature, on the occasion of his birth anniversary.
The state-wide celebrations saw citizens and leaders alike honouring the man who stood as a bulwark against linguistic imperialism and paved the way for the Renaissance of Odia letters.
Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik were among the prominent leaders who remembered Senapati’s towering legacy.
Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee president Bhakta Charan Das and other dignitaries also joined in hailing his transformative contributions to the Odia language and its cultural identity.
Born on January 14, 1843, Senapati was much more than a writer; he was a poet, philosopher, and social reformer whose life was a relentless struggle for linguistic survival. At a time when the distinct identity of the Odia language was under threat, he played a pivotal role in establishing its permanence in schools, courts, and the hearts of the people before his passing on June 14, 1918.
In a post shared from his X handle, the chief minister said that Senapati’s struggle for the protection of the Odia language and identity, along with his timeless literary works, would continue to inspire generations.
Former CM and BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik described Senapati as the ‘emperor of Odia prose’ and credited him with enriching Odia literature by leading the language movement and authoring the first Odia short story ‘Rebati’ and acclaimed novels such as ‘Chha Mana Atha Guntha’.
Marking the day with a significant academic honour, the Odisha government’s Odia Language, Literature and Culture Department conferred the Vyasa Kabi Fakir Mohan Odia Bhasha Samman–2021 upon noted scholar and researcher Dr Nrusingha Charan Sarangi.
The award recognizes Dr. Sarangi’s lifelong dedication to the preservation and academic promotion of the Odia language.
The award was presented by Culture Minister Suryabanshi Suraj at a special program held at the Odisha Research Centre. In addition to the citation, Dr Sarangi received a cash award of Rs 5 lakh.
The ceremony served as a reminder of the state’s commitment to nurturing contemporary scholars who follow in the footsteps of the literary pioneers.
Addressing the gathering, Minister Suryabanshi Suraj remarked that Fakir Mohan Senapati laid the foundation of modern Odia literature by portraying the grit and reality of lived experiences. He highlighted that Senapati’s ability to mirror social issues through humour and satire ensures that his works remain as relevant in 2026 as they were over a century ago.
Dr. Sarangi reflected on the profound influence Senapati had on his own career. He specifically referred to his comparative research between Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The House of the Seven Gables and Senapati’s Chha Mana Atha Guntha, illustrating how the Odia novelist’s exploration of feudalism and landless peasantry holds up against the best of world literature.
On the occasion, the Odisha Sahitya Akademi released two publications – Rajakabi Gobindabhanja Granthabali and Sahityika Janaki Ballabha Mohanty (Bharadwaj).
