Cuttack, September 8, 2026: Former Chief Justice of India Justice Dipak Misra was conferred the prestigious ‘Kalinga Ratna’ honour, while eminent fiction writer Prof. Ramachandra Behera received the ‘Sarala Samman’ at the 46th annual celebration of the Sarala Sahitya Sansad here on Sunday.
The annual literary gathering, held at Sarala Bhavan near Biju Patnaik Chhak, brought together leading figures from Odisha’s literary, judicial, academic and cultural circles to celebrate the enduring legacy of Sarala Das, one of the foundational figures of Odia literature.
Odisha Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan, who inaugurated the programme as the chief guest, described Sarala Das as a literary genius whose contribution transcended regional boundaries. He said the Sarala Mahabharata represented the cultural and spiritual ethos of the Odia people and described it as the “Veda of life” of the Odia community.
Padma Bhushan awardee and noted writer Dr. Pratibha Ray, who attended as a guest of honour, described the Sarala Mahabharata as one of the outstanding works of world literature. She highlighted its significance as a landmark in regional Indian literature and said Sarala Das’s rendering represented the first complete Mahabharata in a regional Indian language.
Former Odisha Chief Secretary Sahadeb Sahu, another guest of honour, emphasised the historical and cultural importance of the epic, observing that the Sarala Mahabharata offers an authentic reflection of the social life, traditions and worldview of the people of Odisha.
Delivering the keynote address, eminent litterateur Professor Das Benhur noted that although the Sarala Mahabharata was composed nearly six centuries ago, it continues to command a strong readership and cultural relevance. He drew parallels between Sarala Das and celebrated world poets such as Homer of Greece and Geoffrey Chaucer of England, underlining Sarala Das’s stature in the broader history of literature.
Presiding over the ceremony, Dr. Prabhakar Swain, founder and president of the Sarala Sahitya Sansad, described the Sarala Mahabharata as the “Konark of Odia language and literature”, highlighting its enduring influence on the language, literature and cultural identity of Odisha.
Justice Dipak Misra honoured with Kalinga Ratna
In recognition of his distinguished contribution to the judiciary and public life, former Chief Justice of India Justice Dipak Misra was presented with the ‘Kalinga Ratna’ for 2026.
The honour comprised a silver statue of Goddess Saraswati, a citation and an uttariya. The award symbolises the institution’s recognition of distinguished contributions to society and the intellectual and cultural heritage of Odisha.
Ramachandra Behera receives Sarala Samman
Eminent fiction writer Prof. Ramachandra Behera was honoured with the ‘Sarala Samman’, one of the distinguished literary recognitions presented by the Sarala Sahitya Sansad.
The award carried a cash prize of ₹1.25 lakh, besides a citation and an uttariya, in recognition of his contribution to Odia fiction and literature.
The citations of the awardees were read out by playwright Sanjit Patnaik and Dr. Khirod Kumar Sahu. The welcome address was delivered by the Sansad’s secretary, Professor Dr. Niranjan Tripathy.
The event was coordinated by Kailash Chandra Dalai, Lecturer Nirmal Chandra Pahi, poet Chhabirani Pati, Priyatama Sahu, Sharmistha Sahu, Braja Kishore Beura, Gopa Das and Purna Patnaik. Lecturer Anup Martha proposed the vote of thanks.
The celebration was attended by several prominent personalities from Odisha’s literary and intellectual community, including Justice Sangam Sahu, Justice Dr. Durga Prasanna Choudhury, educationist Prabhat Mishra, Dr. Arjana Nayak, Sulochana Das, Ranjita Nayak, fiction writer Dr. Kishore Chandra Rout, Dr. Sangram Jena, Shatrughna Pandab, Professor Prasanna Swain, Professor Sushant Kumar Sethi, Dr. Gobinda Bhuyan, short-story writer Tarun Sahu, Dr. Babaji Charan Patnaik and Dr. Bijayananda Singh, among others.
The 46th annual celebration thus brought together the worlds of literature, law and public life, reaffirming the continuing relevance of Sarala Das and the rich literary traditions of Odisha in contemporary India.
