Padma Shri Utsav Charan Das (1945 - 2026): A Life Devoted to the Preservation of Ghoda Nacha
- Soumyaranjan Sahoo
- Apr 14
- 5 min read
The history of folk performance traditions in Odisha is often shaped not by institutions or formal academies, but by the sustained labour of individuals who dedicate their lives to preserving and transmitting fragile cultural practices. Among such figures, Utsav Charan Das occupies a singular place. Over a career spanning more than six decades, Das became one of the most influential practitioners and teachers of Ghoda Nacha, a vibrant horse dance tradition rooted in the cultural life of coastal Odisha.
