Odia Poet Ashutosh Parida Honoured with Prestigious Sarala Puraskar
Odia poet and essayist Ashutosh Parida is set to receive the Sarala Puraskar for 2025, one of Odisha's most distinguished literary awards. The announcement was made by the Indian Metals Public Charitable Trust (IMPaCT), the philanthropic arm of the Indian Metals and Ferro Alloys Ltd (IMFA), which confers the honour annually.
Parida, a former scientist at the CSIR-Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology (CSIR-IMMT) in Bhubaneswar, has been recognised for his poetry collection 'Bishwas De Pruthwi' (Give the World Trust), published by Prabha Publication in 2024. The trust described the work as an 'inspiring compendium' that reflects deep human values and poetic craft.
The award ceremony is scheduled for October 25 in Bhubaneswar, where Parida will receive a citation, a copper plaque, and a cash prize of ₹7 lakh. The award is named after the 15th-century poet Sarala Das, the author of the Odia Mahabharata and a foundational figure in Odia literature, and has been a cornerstone of literary recognition in the state since its inception.
Alongside Parida's win, the trust announced the shortlist of seven books that reached the final round of judging. These include 'Aparna Mohanty ka Payeen Kabita' by Aparna Mohanty, 'Dahana Pada Bama Pada' by Padmaja Pal, 'Sita' by Archana Nayak, 'Mayabarta' by Bijay Nayak, 'Mokhya Mudra' by Prakash Mahapatra, and 'Kabi ka Naam Bedbyash' by Ramesh Prasad Panigrahi. The selected works span a wide range of genres—poetry, stories, novels, short stories, and drama—showcasing the vibrancy and depth of contemporary Odia writing.
In a separate announcement, IMPaCT also unveiled the 2026 recipients of the 'Ila-Bansidhar Panda Kala Samman', an award given for lifetime excellence in the visual and performing arts. This year's honourees are Guru Durga Charan Ranbir, a renowned Odissi maestro and Padma Shri recipient, and Shri Damodar Behera, a sculptor and art educator. Both will be conferred the award at a later date.
The Sarala Puraskar is widely regarded as a benchmark of literary merit in Odisha, and this year's selection continues the tradition of honouring voices that contribute meaningfully to the state's cultural landscape. The award not only celebrates individual achievement but also reinforces the importance of literature in preserving and enriching Odia identity.
