Going back to times of antiquity, following the Vedic period, the intellectuals of India developed a passion for creative writing. They wrote on palm leaves and papers prepared from hemp fibers. This passion has continued throughout history, which is well reflected in the very elaborate Indian mythologies. The literary activities in Odisha are no exception. Beginning some two centuries ago, the world has rapidly changed, with an increase in communication and recognition of English as the most accepted second language. With the emergence of the internet, the escalation of communication has moved at an unprecedented rate.
With the growth of literary activities, writers of Odisha as novelists, essayists, and poets have remarkably kept up with the growth. However, more than 90% of the writers in Odisha are authors of literature written in the Odia language. They are well admired in the state, but not well known outside. In contrast, a writer using the English language in states such as Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, and Tamilnadu, is known all over India and indeed the world, for their literary excellence.
In order to promote literary activity among the girls of Odisha, particularly those who are college or university students in the state, an endowment has been established by Padma Bhusan Bhakta Bhusan Rath.
