Eminent Odia poet and writer Rajendra Kishore Panda passed away on October 24, 2025, at the age of 81.
He breathed his last at 11:30 AM, leaving the literary world in mourning.
Born on June 29, 1944, Panda served in the Indian Administrative Service from July 14, 1967, to June 30, 2004. Alongside his administrative career, he made a profound impact on Odia literature through his poetry and prose.
In 1985, he received the prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award for his poetry collection Shailakalpa. Over the years, he published 16 poetry anthologies and earned accolades such as the Gangadhar National Award in 2010 and the Kuvempu Rashtriya Puraskar in 2020.
His passing has deeply saddened admirers and fellow writers. Many have expressed condolences to his family and prayed for the eternal peace of his soul. Panda’s contribution to literature will remain etched in the hearts of readers and scholars alike.
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