Odisha Sahitya Akademi Award For Novelists Nityananda Panda, Laxmipriya Acharya

Bhubaneswar: The state government on Friday announced to confer Odisha Sahitya Akademi Award on eminent novelists Nityananda Panda and Laxmipriya Acharya for 2015 and 2016 respectively.

Panda won the award for his novel “Gotie Jodi Gaan ra Kahandi” while Acharya was nominated for ‘Ambaa’.

The other awardees for 2015 are Pabitra Panigrahy for ‘Gapara Muhan’ in short story category, Binapani Panda for her poem ‘Godhuli Gita’, Sanjay Hati for the play ‘Manchamaya’ and Naveen Kumar Parida for the play ‘Natu O Anyana Natak’, Panchanan Mishra in essay and criticism category, Dharanidhar Panigrahy for ‘Lauha Manaba Sardar Patel’ in biography and travelogue, Bijay Kumar Mohanty for ‘Tathapi Kichhi Rahijiba’ in translation, Rabindra Biswal for ‘Gachhatie Gitatie’ in children’s literature and Manoj Mohanty for “Prati Palakare Tume’ in song category.

For 2016, the other awardees are Debdas Chhotray for his compilation of short stories ‘Ramaku Maribara Panchati Upaya’ in short story category, Bhagawan Jaysingh for ‘Pheranti Ghara’ in poem, Fakir Singh for his play ‘Atmalipi O Anyana’, Prasanna Kumar Swain fo ‘Alochana Prasanga’ in essay and criticism, joint winners in biography and travelogue – Surendra Kumar Maharana for ‘Professor Naveen Kumar Sahu’ and Prados Pattnaik for ‘Chalichhi… Chalibi Na Padibi Thaki’, Sharada Rath for ‘Meghabahana’ in translation, Debendra Chauchury for ‘Chuin Chadhei’ in children’s literature and Mishra Satyanarayan for ‘Mishra Raaga’ in songs category.