Odisha, also known as the land of temples, has produced several notable individuals who have contributed significantly to their respective fields. Here are some of the awards and honors that have been conferred upon them:
Awards and Honors of Odisha
Odisha acknowledges excellence across various fields through state-level awards and its citizens are also recognized with national and international honors.
I. National-Level Awards (Recipients from Odisha):
These are the highest civilian and literary honors in India, and Odias have proudly received many of them.
Bharat Ratna:
India’s highest civilian award. No Odia has received the Bharat Ratna yet.
Announced annually on Republic Day (January 26). Recipients for 2025 would typically be announced in January 2025.
Padma Vibhushan (Second highest civilian award):
Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra (2000) – Odissi Dance (First Odia to receive Padma Vibhushan)
Raghunath Mohapatra (2013) – Art (Sculpture)
Manoj Das (2020) – Literature & Education (Posthumous)
Padma Bhushan (Third highest civilian award):
Ramakanta Rath (2006) – Literature & Education
Sitakanta Mahapatra (2011) – Literature & Education
Pratibha Ray (2022) – Literature & Education
Pramod Bhagat (2022) – Sports (Para-Badminton)
Padma Shri (Fourth highest civilian award):
Numerous Odias have received Padma Shri across various fields. Keep an eye on the 2025 Padma Shri recipients from Odisha (announced Jan 2025 and awarded in April/May 2025).
Padma Awards 2025 (Recipients from Odisha announced in Jan 2025, awarded in April 2025):
Ashok Kumar Mahapatra (Medicine)
Durga Charan Ranbir (Art – Odissi Dancer)
Pratibha Satpathy (Literature and Education)
Adwaita Charan Gadanayak (Art – Sculptor)
Padma Awards 2024 (Recipients from Odisha):
Gopinath Swain (Art)
Bhagbat Padhan (Art)
Binod Maharana (Art)
Binod Kumar Pasayat (Art)
Jnanpith Award:
India’s highest literary honor.
Recipients from Odisha:
Gopinath Mohanty (1973) – For his novel Amrutara Santana (First Odia Jnanpith Awardee).
Sachidananda Routray (1986) – For his overall contribution to Odia literature.
Sitakanta Mahapatra (1993) – For his overall contribution to Odia literature.
Pratibha Ray (2011) – For her overall contribution to Odia literature.
Sahitya Akademi Award (Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award):
Awarded annually by the Sahitya Akademi (National Academy of Letters) for outstanding literary works in major Indian languages, including Odia.
Sahitya Akademi Award for Odia – 2024:
Ashutosh Parida for his poetry collection Aprastuta Mrutyu.
Baishnab Charan Samal for his essays Bhuti Bhakti Bibhuti.
Sahitya Akademi Translation Prize 2024 (for Odia):
Suvash Satapathy for his Odia translation of Ruskin Bond’s autobiography Lone Fox Dancing (translated as Kokishiyalira Ekaka Nrutya).
Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (Kendra Sangeet Natak Akademi Award):
India’s national academy of music, dance, and drama. Awards are given for contributions to various performing arts.
Recipients from Odisha for 2022 & 2023 (announced Feb 2024): Odisha typically has artists selected in categories like Odissi dance, Odissi music, Chhau dance, and folk arts. Specific names for 2024/2025 announcements will be made by the Akademi.
II. State-Level Awards (Government of Odisha):
These awards are conferred by the Government of Odisha to recognize excellence within the state.
Odisha Sahitya Akademi Puraskar:
Awarded by the Odisha Sahitya Akademi for significant contributions to Odia literature. These awards are usually given for a specific year, often with a delay in announcement. Keep an eye on the official announcements for the latest recipients for the years 2023-2025.
Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi Award:
Awarded by the Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi for excellence in performing arts (music, dance, drama) within the state.
Jayadev Award:
Given by: Department of Culture, Government of Odisha, as part of the Odisha State Film Awards.
Significance: The highest honor in Odia cinema, conferred for outstanding lifetime contribution to the growth and development of Odia cinema.
Recent Recipients: (Check latest Odisha State Film Awards announcements, usually for previous years).
Biju Patnaik Award for Scientific Excellence:
Given by: Odisha Bigyan Academy (Odisha Science Academy).
Significance: Highest science award in the state, recognizing significant contributions in scientific research and development.
Other Science Awards: Samanta Chandra Sekhar Award, Odisha Young Scientist Award, Pranakrushna Parija Popular Science Award (all by Odisha Bigyan Academy).
Biju Patnaik Sports Award:
Given by: Department of Sports & Youth Services, Government of Odisha.
Categories: Award for Outstanding Performance in Promotion of Sports & Games, Lifetime Achievement, Best Sportsperson, Outstanding Coach, Outstanding Sports Journalist.
Recent Recipients: Follow current sports news in Odisha.
Ekalabya Puraskar:
Given by: Indian Metals Public Charitable Trust (IMPACT) of IMFA Group.
Significance: Recognizes promising young sportspersons of Odisha.
Recent Recipient (2023):Sweetya Parida (Gymnastics). Recipients for 2024/2025 would be announced later in the year.
Odisha State Film Awards:
Given by: Department of Culture, Government of Odisha.
Categories: Best Film, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, Best Music, etc. Includes the Jayadev Award.
Biju Patnaik Bravery Award:
Given by: Government of Odisha.
Significance: Honors individuals who display exemplary courage and bravery.
Odisha Living Legend Award:
Given by: Odisha Diary (a media platform).
Significance: Civilian award honoring individuals who have made outstanding and inspiring contributions in various fields like social service, public policy, education, art, science, etc.
Given by: School & Mass Education Department, Government of Odisha.
Categories: Recognizes excellence among students, teachers, headmasters, CRCCs (Cluster Resource Centre Coordinators), BEOs (Block Education Officers), DEOs (District Education Officers), and institutions for their contributions to school education. This is an annual award with multiple levels (State, District, Block).
III. Other Significant Awards/Honors:
Sarala Samman: A prestigious literary award instituted by the IMFA Group.
Police Medals: Odisha Police personnel also receive various medals on Republic Day and Police Formation Day (April 1st) for gallantry, distinguished service, meritorious service, and the DGP’s Disc. The OSAP 6th Battalion, Cuttack, was selected as the Best Battalion for the calendar year 2024 on the occasion of the 90th Odisha Police Formation Day, 2025.
Padma Shri Awardees from Odisha
The Padma Shri is the fourth-highest civilian award in India. Several individuals from Odisha have been honored with this prestigious award.
Recipients
Field
Year
Daitari Naik
Social work
2019
Devarapalli Prakash Rao
Social work
2019
Haldhar Nag
Literature and Education
2016
Kailash Chandra Meher
Arts
2013
Kamala Pujari
Others
2019
Minati Mishra
Arts
2012
Nila Madhab Panda
Film Making
2016
Prafulla Kar
Arts
2015
Shri Arun Mohanty
Art-Dance
2017
Shri Bhabani Charan Patnaik
Public Affairs
2018
Shri Chandra Shekhar Rath
Literature and Education
2018
Shri Gobardhan Panika
Art-Weaving
2018
Shri Jitendra Haripal
Art-Music
2017
Shri Pravakara Maharana
Art-Sculpture
2018
Shri Sadhu Meher
Art-Cinema
2017
Sribhas Chandra Supakar
Textile Designing
2016
Sudarsan Patnaik
Sand Art
2014
Taraprasad Das
Medicine
2013
Padma Bhushan Awardees from Odisha
Recipients
Field
Year
Dr. Sitakanta Mohapatra
Literature and Education
2003
Shri Raghunath Mohapatra
Art
2001
Shri Ramakanta Rath
Literature and Education
2006
Padma Vibhushan Awardees of Odisha
Recipients
Field
Year
Dr. Sitakanta Mohapatra
Literature and Education
2011
Guru Kelu Charan Mohapatra
Art
2000
Shri Raghunath Mohapatra
Art
2013
Sangeet Natak Academy Awardees from Odisha
Recipients
Discipline
Year
Aloka Kanungo
Odissi Dance
2015
Aruna Mohanty
Odissi Dance
2010
Bankim Sethi
Odissi Music
2013
Gopal Chandra Panda
Odissi Music
2011
Janmanjay Saibabu
Chhau Guru
2017
Laxmidhar Raut
Pala Orissa
2016
Ramli Ibrahim
Odissi Dance
2011
Ratikant Mohapatra
Odissi Dance
2016
Sangeeta Dash
Odissi Dance
2013
Satyabrata Raut
Theatre (Direction)
2016
Sharmila Biswas
Odissi Dance
2012
Sudhakar Sahoo
Odissi Dance
2014
Sujata Mohapatra
Odissi Dance
2017
Jnanpith Awardees from Odisha
Awardees
Year
Literary Work
Gopinath Mohanty
1973
Novel-Amrutara Sontana
Pratibha Ray
2011
Novels
Sachidananda Routray
1986
Poetry- Pallisri
Sitakant Mahapatra
1993
Poetry-Sabdar Akash
Academy Yuva Puraskar Winners (Odia Language)
Year
Author
Book
Genre
2011
Gayatribala Panda
Gaan
Poetry
2018
Jayadratha Suna
SoSo
Poetry
2016
Jnanee Debasish Mishra
Daaga
Poetry
2013
Kshetrabasi Naik
Dadan
Short Stories
2014
Narendra Kumar Bhoi
Pidaparba
Poetry
2012
Srushthishree Naik
Bhirna Upabana
Short Stories
2015
Sujit Kumar Panda
Manasanka
Short Stories
2017
Surasnata Tripathy
Samparka Emiti
Sahitya Academy Bal Sahitya Puraskar Winners (Odia Awardees)
Year
Author
Book/Contribution
2016
Batakrushna Ojha
Children Literature
2018
Birendra Mohanty
Total Collection of Poems
2014
Dash Benhur (Jitendra Narayan Dash)
Children Literature
2011
Maheswar Mohanty
Children Literature
2013
Nadiya Bihari Mohanty
Children Literature
2012
Ram Prasad Mohanty
Children Literature
2015
Snehalata Mohanty
Children Literature
2017
Subhendra Mohan Srichandan Singh
Children Literature
Sahitya Academy Translation Awardees in Odia Language
Year
Translator Book
Original Book (LanguagelGenre)
Author
2013
Bilasini Mohanty Anabruta Andhakar: Collection of 50 Short Saadat Hasan Manton Stories (Urdu) Ka Ardhasata Kahani
Saadat Hasan Manto
2012
Prasanta Kumar Sei Pakhitir Na Ruswa Mohanty
. Us Chiria Ka Nam, (Hindi Novel)
Pankaj Bisht
2014
Rabindra Kumar Thilagharar Gehlapua Praharaj
Alaler Gharer Dulal (Bengali Novel)
Tek Chand Thakur
2011
Sangram Jena Umrao Jan Ada
Umrao Jaan Ada, (Urdu Novel)
Mirza Hadi Ruswa
2015
Shakuntala Kaberi Bhali Jhia Tie Baliarsingh
Oru Keberi Yai Polar, (Tamil Novel)
Lakshmi Thiripurasundari
Sahitya Academy Award in Odia Language
Year
Awardees
Work
Discipline
2015
Bibhuti Patnaik
Mahisashurara Muhan
Short Stories
2013
Bijay Misra
Vanaprastha
Play
2018
Dasarathi Das
Prasanga Puruna Bhabana Nua
Literary Essays
2017
Gayatri Saraf
Etavatira Shilpi
Short Stories
2014
Gopal Rath
Bipula Diganta
Poetry
2012
Gourahari Das
Kanta O’ Anyanya Galpa
Short Stories
2011
Kalpanakumari Devi
Achihna Basabhumi
Novel
2016
Paramita Satpathy
Prapti
Novel
Odisha Sahitya Akademi Awards
Awardees
Discipline
Abhaya Barik
Short Story (Mahagana)
Arvind Patnaik
Essay (Odishare Lokadharmara Parampara)
Basant Kishora Sahu
Children’s Literature
Basudev Sunani
Poetry Segment (Book Bodhue Bhala Paiba Mote Jananahi)
