Background
Gadanayak was born in August 1911 in Kalandapal, a small village in the periphery of Angul town in the Indian state of Odisha, to Mahadeva Gadnayak and Golakamani Devi.
Gadanayak was born in August 1911 in Kalandapal, a small village in the periphery of Angul town in the Indian state of Odisha, to Mahadeva Gadnayak and Golakamani Devi.
He was involved with the Indian freedom struggle from an early age and became associated with the Satyagraha movement of Mahatma Gandhi at the age of 23. As a poet, he was more inclined to the genre of ballads and composed many ballads on various subjects and people such as Kalidasa and Mohandas Gandhi. He also translated Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam into Odia language.
Gopabandhu racanābaḷī, Gaḍanāẏaka granthābaḷī, Kāḷidāsa, Gāndhī gāthā, Kāḷindīcaraṇa parikramā, Hīrākhaṇḍara gāthā, Gopabaṅdhu racanābaḷī, Abācīra tārā and Paśupakshīra kābya are some of his other notable works.
His poetry has been subjected to critical review and Gaḍanāẏaka abhinandana grantha, Kābyanāẏaka Gaḍanāẏaka, Rādhāmohana sṛshṭi samīkshā, Kabi Rādhāmohana Gaḍanāẏaka: kr̥ti o kr̥titva and Gaḍanāẏaka parikramā are some of the published studies. Seashore Sahitya Academy, a Bhubaneshwar based literary forum has set up a library, Radhamohan Gadanayak National Library,in his honour.
His birth centenary was celebrated by Gadanayak Centenary Committee and other organizations. The Committee, in association with Sarala Sahitya Sansad, has instituted an annual literary award, Kavi Radhamohan Gadanayak Centenary Award, in honour of the Odia balladeer.