Voice Of Tradition "Odisha Ratna Haldhar Nag"
"Saheb, I don't have money to travel to Delhi, please send award by post." These are the words of Padma Shri awardee Haldhar Nag. Haldhar Nag whose name was never prefixed with 'Shri', the owner of 3 pairs of cloths, one broken rubber slipper, one rimless spectacles and a deposit of RS 732/-,is declared with Padma Shri. Haldhar Nag is a celebrated poet from Odisha, India, known for his work in Kosli (Sambalpuri) language. Born on March 31, 1950, in the rural village of Ghens in Bargarh district, Nag has risen to prominence despite having limited formal education. Early Life and Education: Haldhar Nag lost his father at a young age and had to leave school after completing his third grade due to financial constraints. He worked as a dishwasher at a local sweet shop and later took up a job as a cook at the local high school. Poetic Journey: Nag began composing poems in the early 1990s. His first poem, "Dhodo Bargachh" (The Old Banyan Tree), was publ...