Meet Renowned First Lady Artist of Odisha — Yadu News Nation

A feature by Sunil Kumar Dhangadamajhi published in Yadu News Nation on 9 June 2025, recognising Basanta Kumari Samanta as Odisha's first female professional painter. It recounts her becoming the first woman student at Khallikote Government College of Arts and Crafts in 1957 and earning her diploma in Fine Art Oil Painting in 1961, at a time when women faced significant social restrictions on public life. She credits mentors Sarat Chandra Dev, Jita Charan Mohanty and Ajit Keshari Ray for shaping her practice, and emphasises the family support that carried her through a lifelong teaching and painting career. The article lists numerous titles and awards she has received from organisations including TATA Steel, NCERT and regional art academies, and closes with her call for art to be integrated into school curricula and for stable employment for art educators.