In a glittering celebration of Odia letters, the prestigious ‘Pragativadi’ Literary Awards for 2026 have been announced, honouring some of the finest voices in contemporary Odia literature.
The awards will be presented on May 1 at the Pragativadi head office in Bhubaneswar during as the leading Odia daily celebrates 54th Foundation Day ceremony.
Eminent novelist & short-story writer Dr. Bibhuti Pattanaik has been selected for the top honour — the ‘Pragativadi’ Sahitya Samman — in recognition of his lifelong dedication to Odia literature and his outstanding body of creative work.
In the essay category, the joint award goes to distinguished scholars and writers Dr. Basanti Mohanty and Dr. Antarjita Nayak. The short-story award has been conferred on Sibasundar Panigrahi, while Chitra Kanungo receives the poetry honour. For children’s literature, Ramesh Das has been chosen for the special ‘Pragativadi’ Samman.
Adding a heart-warming touch, popular children’s columnist Mitu Aai, whose regular letters in the magazine’s ‘Future Kids’ section have delighted young readers for years, will receive special felicitation.
The jury, comprising noted essayist and columnist Prof. Biswaranjan, philosopher and academic Prof. Dhaneshwar Sahu, columnist Dr. Satyanarayan Mishra, and social activist-writer Pritichhanda Dhal, made the selections after careful deliberation and wide consultation with writers and readers.
The May 1 event will not only felicitate the awardees but also honour other writers, readers, journalists, and distributors who have contributed to the growth of ‘Pragativadi’ and Odia literature.
