Western Odisha Artist Kedar Nayak Felicitated with Fakir Mohan Chitrakala Award in Balasore

Balasore, Jan 15 (Krushna Kumar Mohanty): The 184th Fakir Mohan Jayanti celebrations, organised by the Fakir Mohan Sahitya Parishad at Shantikanan, are being observed from January 13 to January 16, 2026. As part of the celebrations, several distinguished personalities who have enriched Odia language, literature, and culture were felicitated yesterday.

The felicitation ceremony was graced by former Chief Secretary and renowned fiction writer Tarun Kanti Mishra as the chief guest, while eminent writer and former President of the Odisha Sahitya Akademi, Professor Ramachandra Behera, attended as the guest of honour.

On this occasion, 26 eminent personalities from different districts of Odisha were honoured with awards and recognitions of the Fakir Mohan Sahitya Parishad for their notable contributions to literature and culture. Among them, artist Kedar Nayak of Jamurda village in Bargarh district was conferred the Fakir Mohan Chitrakala Award, instituted in memory of noted painter Ashok Mahanty.

The entire programme was successfully organised with the support of the Department of Odia Language, Literature and Culture, Government of Odisha.