The doyen of Odia literature Chandrasekhar Rath passed away at a private hospital today. He was 89 and is survived by his wife, three daughters and a son.
Rath had been selected for the Padma Shri award last month for his outstanding contribution to literature.
He breathed his last while undergoing treatment for age-related ailments.
Born on October 17, 1929 at Malapada village in Balangir district, Rath was a well-known name both in the fiction and non-fiction world.
He was conferred with several awards, including Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award, Odisha Sahitya Akademi Award and Atibadi Jagannath Das Samman, for his contribution in the field of literature.
Governor of Odisha S C Jamir expressed grief over the passing away of the noted writer.
Describing his demise as a "great loss" to Odia literature, the Governor said, "he had enriched Odia literature with his many invaluable creations that received readers' admiration"
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Jual Oram and people from all walks of life paid rich tributes to Rath after his body arrived at his residence in the city.
