Who is Haldhar Nag? Odisha Padma awardee poet was 3rd year and his poems are now analyzed by PhD students

Haldhar Nag is a renowned poet from Orissa who challenged all conventional notions of education and academic achievement. Despite not completing Class 3, Nag became one of the most prominent literary figures in India. Writing in Kosli, also known as Sambalpuri, the language of western Odisha, Nag draws on folklore, nature, mythology and everyday experience to explore social reality and injustice. He struggled and overcame poverty in his early life and was awarded one of India’s highest civilian honours, the Padma Shri, by President Pranab Mukherjee.

Today, Naga’s literature goes beyond popular recognition to academic study. According to the Times of India (TOI), five scholars are conducting doctoral research on Naga poetry. Sambalpur University is said to have compiled his writings into a collection called Haldhar Granthabali-2 for academic use. His work has become the subject of formal literary research despite his limited education. His poetry offers an insight into the language, cultural traditions and social realities of western Odisha.

Who is Haldhar Nag?

Haldhar Nag was born on 31 March 1950 in Odisha’s Bargarh district and lost his father during childhood. After the third grade, he was forced to leave school and start working to support himself. He reportedly worked in a pastry shop before taking a job as a cook at a school where he worked for 16 years. It is believed that he once borrowed ₹1000 from a banker to open a small stationery shop for students. According to The Better India, Nag started by writing folk stories in Kosli before publishing his first poem Dhodo Bargachh (Old Banyan Tree) in a local magazine in 1990. His writing focuses on nature, religion, mythology and social injustice. He told the publication in 2016, “In my opinion, poetry must have a connection to real life and a message for people.”

Nag received the Padma Shri in 2016 for his contribution to literature. He is popularly known as Lok Kabi Ratna. Official records of the Sahitya Akademi list him as the joint recipient of the Bhasha Samman for Koshali-Sambalpuri in 2017. His works have been translated into Odia, Hindi and English.

Off the literary path

Nag lives a simple life and is never seen wearing shoes. He was seen barefoot and dressed in traditional attire while receiving the Padma Shri.

Nag is also known for his dedication to education and social welfare. He runs the residential school Loka Kabi Haldhar Avasik Banavidyalaya in Kudopali village where the school provides shelter and education to underprivileged, abandoned and orphaned children.