Padma Shri awardee Purnamasi Jani, a renowned tribal singer and social activist from Kandhamal district, has been admitted to the District Headquarters Hospital after complaining of illness.
Reports said she was first taken to Khajuripada Hospital before being referred to the District Headquarters Hospital. Doctors confirmed she is suffering from swelling in her legs and hands, along with anaemia. She is currently receiving treatment in the medicine department, and her condition remains stable.
Born in 1936 in Charipada village, Jani has dedicated over six decades to singing thousands of songs in Odia, Kui, and Sanskrit, promoting social causes and cultural awareness. Despite never attending school and being unable to read or write, she recites poems in Kui with remarkable fluency.
Her contributions to tribal culture and social activism earned her the Padma Shri award in 2021. She continues to be celebrated as one of Odisha’s most respected voices in tribal and folk traditions.
Hospital authorities assured that she is under close medical supervision, and her health is being monitored carefully.
