Bhubaneswar, Jan 13: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik paid a tribute to Vyasa Kabi Fakir Mohan Senapati at his 175th birth anniversary celebrations. Hailing Fakir Mohan’s contribution to Odia language and literature.

Taking to his Twitter handle, Naveen said that “My tribute to the great poet Vyasa Kabi Fakir Mohan Senapation on his birthday. His contribution to the preservation, propagation and ensuring use of Odia language is indelible.

Fakirmohan Senapati is regarded as the father of Odia nationalism and modern Odia literature.

Born on January 13 in 1843, Fakir Mohan Senapati was often referred to as Utkal Byasa Kabi (Odisha’s Supreme Poet). He played a leading role in establishing the distinct identity of Odia, a language mainly spoken in the Indian state of Odisha.