Pathani Patnaik had authored over 50 books on children literature, novel, short stories and linguistics and won Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award for ‘Jibanara Chalapathe’ in 2010-11. He was the Principal of Christ College and also served as the President of Odisha Sahitya Akademi.
Some of his famous books include ‘Sahitya O Sanskruti’, ‘Sahitya Manisha’, ‘Sahitya Parikrama’, ‘Odia Upanyasa Sahityara Parichaya’, ‘Prabandha O Samlochana’, ‘Samaja O Sahitya’, ‘Sahitya O Samiksha’.