Haldhar Nag was awarded Padma Shri this year. He received the award from President Pranab Mukherkjee at the Rashtrapati Bhavan last week.
The 66-year Koshali poet has lakhs of followers in Odisha and Chhattisgarh. He is considered as an icon in Western Odisha. He writes stories and poems in the Koshali language.