Dr. Nila Madhab Panigrahi born on 14 November 1919 at Gulunda near Sambalpur is the most eminent vatary of the Kosali/Sambalpuri language; an essayist, literateur, poet-author of many books, editor of ‘Nishan’ & many other literary works. Designated as ‘Kosal-Vyasha’ for having single-handedly composed the epic ‘Mahabharatar Katha’, published by Sambalpur University, he was in the pursuit of literature till his last breath.
He received ‘D. Litt’ from Sambalpur University for his lifetime works in the field of literature. He floated an honour & reward of Rs. 10,000 which is given by Sambalpur University every year for translation of any Sanskrit work into the Kosali/Sambalpuri language. He co-authored the ‘Sambalpuri-Kosali Grammar’ book with Dr. Prafulla Tripathy, which was also published by Sambalpur University. He is honoured by many cultural & literary organisations, but because of his intense love for Sambalpuri/Kosali language, he refused the ‘Sarala Samman’ which was to be given by IMFA Group, because it was awarded by an Odia-lover. He was the convenor of the ‘Kosal Sammellan’, along with Mr. P.R. Dubey & Pandit Prayag Datta Joshi, which spearheaded the socio-linguistic movement in the Kosal region. He sat on a hunger strike, demanding primers (primary school books), for a literacy campaign, be made in the ‘Sambalpuri/Kosali’ language. He is an erstwhile Sanskrit & Odia scholar who has abandoned writing in the Oriya language for about three decades. He is also a prominent personality in India in the field of Indian classical music and was the principal of ‘Gandharva Viswa-Vidyalaya’, U.P.
He breathed his last on 28th November 2012 at his native Gulunda village.
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