Bhubaneswar: Renowned poet, writer, and former civil servant Devdas Chhotray has been selected for the 46th Sarala Puraskar for his acclaimed short story collection ‘Matinee Show.’
The prestigious literary award, instituted in 1979 by Late Bansidhar Panda and Late Ila Panda, is presented annually by the Indian Metals Public Charitable Trust (IMPaCT), the philanthropic wing of IMFA, to honour outstanding contributions to Odia literature.
Chhotray will be felicitated on October 26 at a special function in Bhubaneswar. The award carries a citation, a plaque, and a cash prize of Rs 7 lakh.
A total of seven works reached the final round of selection. The shortlisted authors included Aparnna Mohanty, Mamata Dash, Padmaj Paul, Ashutosh Parida, and Bijay Kumar Satpathy.
We are happy to share that the prestigious 46th Sarala Puraskar, instituted by the IMFA Charitable Trust (IMPaCT) for outstanding literary achievement, has been announced for renowned poet and writer Shri Devdas Chhotray for his short-story collection ‘Matinee Show’.
We are… pic.twitter.com/gJjLBouM7G
— Indian Metals & Ferro Alloys Ltd (@IMFALtd) September 15, 2025
In addition to the Sarala Puraskar, IMPaCT also announced the recipients of the Ila-Bansidhar Panda Kala Samman for lifetime excellence in the field of art. Eminent painter Baladev Maharatha and veteran musicologist Ramhari Das will be honoured with a certificate, plaque, and Rs 2.5 lakh each.
The ‘Sarala Puraskar’ remains one of Odisha’s most prestigious literary honours, recognising and celebrating the state’s rich cultural and literary heritage.
