Bhubaneswar: Odia author, historian, and former Vice-President of the Odisha Sahitya Akademi, Giri Dandasena, passed away on Monday morning at a private hospital in Burla following a prolonged illness. He was 77.
The veteran litterateur had been bedridden for an extended period due to failing health, which sharply deteriorated five days prior to his admission to the medical facility, where he ultimately breathed his last around 8 am.
Born on December 29, 1949, Dandasena emerged as a pivotal voice in Odia literature and cultural historiography over a career spanning several decades. He was particularly celebrated for his landmark research work, ‘Sundargarh Itihasa,’ a comprehensive volume that documented the history, heritage, and rich cultural legacy of the Sundargarh region. His broader literary repertoire featured critically acclaimed works such as ‘Kalasūtra,’ ‘Odishi Odishi,’ ‘Bhumigarbha,’ and ‘Rastakadarē Jibana,’ which established his reputation as both a keen social chronicler and a prolific writer.
Beyond his individual bibliography, Dandasena held significant administrative influence in shaping the state’s literary landscape, serving as the Vice-President of the Odisha Sahitya Akademi from May 18, 2011, to February 8, 2015.
The news has sent a wave of grief across Odisha’s cultural and academic fraternity, with writers, scholars, and public figures mourning his death as an irreparable loss to the state’s literary heritage. Tributes continue to pour in praising his lifelong dedication to preserving regional history and advancing Odia prose, leaving behind an extensive body of work that will serve as an vital resource for researchers, historians, and readers for generations to come.