Bipra Charan Mohanty (1927-2009) Dharmapada Awardee was born in the village of Nanapur, Jajpur, Odisha in 1927. He went to Government School of Art and Crafts, Kolkata in 1946 (1946-51) did specialisation in modelling and sculpture. He began his career as a freelance artist in Cuttack and started first bronze and marble sculpture in Odisha. He Joined as a Lecturer in Sculpture and Painting at Govt School of Art and Crafts Khallikote in 1957, retired as Principal in 1985 and died in 2009.