The legacy of Pallikabi Nandakishore Bal and his grandson Pradyumna Kishore Bal was honored at a state-level celebration held at the Pragativadi campus in Bhubaneswar.
Dr. Bijayananda Singh addressed the gathering with a powerful tribute titled “From Nandakishore to Pradyumna Kishore – Sons of Our Soil.” He emphasized how three generations of the Bal family dedicated their lives to preserving Odia language, literature, and cultural identity. Nandakishore Bal, known as Palli Kabi, stood firm against conspiracies to erase Odia language in the 19th century. His literary contributions helped shape modern Odisha.
Born in Kusupur, a region surrounded by historic Buddhist sites, Nandakishore shared deep friendships with Fakir Mohan Senapati and Gangadhar Meher. His home became a hub for literary minds. The soil of Kusupur also gave birth to other luminaries like Bimbadhar Varma and Hemanta Kishore Bal.
Pradyumna Kishore Bal, his grandson, carried forward the torch of fearless journalism and value-based thinking. He founded the weekly Pragativadi, which later became a daily, now marking 53 years of publication. Dr. Singh described Pradyumna as a man of revolutionary thought, who preferred burning over fading, symbolizing his uncompromising ideals.
The event saw participation from senior journalists, editors, and cultural leaders including Subash Mahapatra, Manas Kumar Padhi, and Santosh Kumar Dash. Odisha Book Emporium’s Sibashis Kar and Pragativadi’s Executive Editor Birupakshya Tripathy also attended.
The celebration marked the 150th birth anniversary of Nandakishore Bal, reminding the state of its debt to these cultural warriors.
