The Kuvempu Rashtriya Puraskar, the national award instituted in memory of late poet laureate Kuvempu, has been awarded to distinguished Odia poet Dr. Rajendra Kishore Panda for the year 2020. The prestigious award carries a cash award of Rs 5 lakh, a silver medal and a citation.
About the Dr. Panda:
Born on June 24, 1944, Dr. Panda writes in the Odia language. He has published 16 poetry collections and a novel. He is a major Indian poet who steered the path of modern Odia poetry to great heights. He was awarded the Gangadhar National Award in 2010, and the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1985. He was awarded a DLitt by Sambalpur University.
About the Award:
Founded in 1992, Rashtrakavi Kuvempu Trust instituted this national annual literary award in 2013 in the name of Kuvempu to recognize litterateurs who had contributed in any language recognized by the Constitution of India.