Veteran folk artist Padma Shri Guru Gopinath Swain passes away

Bhubaneswar (02/10/2025): Veteran folk artist Padma Shri Guru Gopinath Swain passed away at his residence in Gobindpur under Sheragada block in Ganjam district on Thursday morning. He was 107.

Swain spent decades nurturing and preserving the centuries-old Krishna Leela tradition.

He had trained artistes in nearly 30 villages across Ganjam district. He also imparted lessons in the folk theatre form in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and other parts of the country. Swain was honoured with the Padma Shri award in 2024 in recognition of his lifelong dedication.