Swarup Nayak was a renowned Odia music composer, lyricist, singer, and actor who passed away on October 27, 2023, at the age of 76. He had been suffering from throat cancer for the last few months and breathed his last at his residence in Cuttack, Odisha. He is survived by his wife Niharika Sahu, who is also an actress, and his son.
Early Life and Biography
Swarup Nayak was born on February 8, 1947, in Cuttack, Odisha. He belonged to a family of artists and writers. His father Basudev Nayak was the manager of the famous ManMohan Press, his brother Sarada Prasanna Nayak was a film lyricist and his sister Parbati Ghose was the first woman film director and producer of Odisha.
Marriage, Wife & Children
Swarup Nayak’s wife and kids are not very well-known to the public, as he kept his personal life private. However, based on the web search results, here is some information about them:
- Nayak’s wife’s name is Niharika Sahu. She is also an actress who has acted in some Odia films and TV serials. She married Swarup in the late 1970s or early 1980s. They had a happy and harmonious marriage until his death.
- Nayak and Niharika Sahu have two daughters. Their names are not revealed, but they are both married and settled in different cities. They have also given Swarup four grandchildren, whom he loved dearly. He often visited them and spent time with them whenever he could.
- Nayak’s wife and daughters were by his side when he passed away at his residence in Cuttack on October 27, 2023. They performed his last rites with full respect and dignity. They also received condolences and support from many people, including the Chief Minister of Odisha, Naveen Patnaik, who announced that Swarup will be honored with the prestigious Jayadev Award posthumously.
Family Details
Nayak belonged to either the Khandayat or Kshatriya community, which are the dominant landowning castes in Odisha. He was proud of his Odia identity and culture, and often used Odia folklore and proverbs in his songs.
Nayak’s father was Basudev Nayak, who was the manager of the famous ManMohan Press in Cuttack. ManMohan Press was established in 1914 and was one of the oldest and largest printing presses in Odisha. It published many books, magazines, newspapers, and journals in Odia and other languages. Swarup grew up in a literary environment and developed a keen interest in writing and reading.
Swarup Nayak’s mother’s name is not available, but she was also a supportive and loving parent who encouraged him to pursue his passion for music and film. She passed away when Nayak was young.
Swarup Nayak had two siblings: a brother and a sister. His brother’s name was Sarada Prasanna Nayak, who was also a film lyricist. He wrote songs for many Odia films like ‘Sri Jagannath’, ‘Malajanha’, ‘Suryamukhi’ and others. He also wrote poems, stories, and essays. He died in 2015 at the age of 82.
Nayak’s sister’s name was Parbati Ghose, who was the first woman film director and producer of Odisha. She made her debut as a director with the film ‘Laxmi’ in 1962, in which Swarup also acted as a child artist. She directed and produced many other films like ‘Kaa’, ‘Stree’, ‘Sansara’ and others.
She also acted in some films like ‘Suryamukhi’, ‘Maa’ and others. She was honored with many awards and recognitions for her contribution to Odia cinema. She died in 2018 at the age of 85.
Net Worth
His net worth was estimated to be between INR 5-15 crore (approx). His main sources of income were from his music compositions, lyrics, singing, acting, and producing. He also had some investments and properties in Odisha.
Singing Career
He started working in films in his childhood. In 1962, when he was a Class IX student, he acted as a child beggar in the film ‘Laxmi’. Later he acted in ‘Kaa’ (1965) and ‘Stree’ (1968). He took a break from acting and worked as a contractor for some time. However, his passion for film, music, and writing compelled him to resume his film career.
He started his second innings in the film ‘Suna Sansar’ (1977) in which he played a villain. He continued acting in several other films like ‘Jaga Balia’, ‘Dora’, ‘Kalinga Putra’ and others with different characters. His last film as an actor was ‘Kalinga Putra’ (2008).
His music journey started in 1984 with the film ‘Hira Nila’. He composed music for around 40 films and wrote songs for 30 others. Some of his notable films as a music director include ‘Pua Mora Bhola Shankar’ (1996), ‘Sahara Jaluchi’ (1998), ‘Sundara Nuhein Khela Ghara’ (2002), ‘I Love You’ (2004), ‘Premi No. 1’ (2009) and ‘Swayamsiddha’ (2010). His last film as a music director was ‘Swayamsiddha’ (2010).
He also produced music records for puja and other occasions. Some of these records include ‘Le Labina…Tike Pachaku Ana…’, ‘Bata Chhada Asuchi Dasara Pujara Medha’ and ‘Odisha Mo Odisha’ for TV.
Style and Legacy
Swarup Nayak was known for his unique style of composing songs using Odia folklore, proverbs, and the colloquial language of rural people. He was a master in using political satire in his songs. He broke the dominance of singers from Mumbai and Bollywood by creating a gang of young singers in Odisha.
He will be remembered for his mesmerizing songs like ‘Udandi Sita’s Sitalo Aji Jaluchi Jahara Chitalo…’, ‘Ae Agana Ae Ghara…’, ‘Pana Gua Khaira Guakati…’ and many more. His songs touched the hearts of millions of listeners and earned him several awards and accolades.
He was also a versatile actor who played different roles with ease and conviction. He was equally comfortable in playing comedy, villainy, or supporting roles. He had a strong screen presence and charisma that made him popular among the audience.
Death Cause, Funeral and Tributes
Nayak died on October 27, 2023, at his residence in Cuttack after battling throat cancer for several months. He was cremated with full state honors at Satichaura Crematorium in Cuttack on October 28, 2023.
His death was mourned by many dignitaries, celebrities, and fans. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expressed his sadness over Nayak’s demise and said that he will be remembered for his valuable contribution to the Odia film industry. He also announced that Nayak will be honored with the prestigious Jayadev Award posthumously.
Other prominent personalities like Governor Ganeshi Lal, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Leader of Opposition Pradipta Naik, Odisha Film Development Corporation Chairman Kuna Tripathy, eminent singer Akshaya Mohanty, veteran actor Bijay Mohanty, popular director Sabyasachi Mohapatra and others also paid their tributes to Nayak.
His fans and admirers also took to social media to express their grief and condolences. They shared their memories of listening to his songs or watching his films. They also praised his talent and versatility as a musical artist and an actor.
Swarup Nayak Wiki, BIO
| Name | Swarup Nayak |
| Date of Birth | February 8, 1947 |
| Place of Birth | Cuttack, Odisha |
| Date of Death | October 27, 2023 |
| Place of Death | Cuttack, Odisha |
| Cause of Death | Cancer |
| Occupation | Music composer, lyricist, singer and actor |
| Spouse | Niharika Sahu |
| Son | One |
| Films as Music Director | 41 |
| Films as Lyricist | 30 |
| Films as Actor | 28 |
| Awards | Jayadev Award (posthumous), Odisha State Film Award, Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and others |
| IMDb | nm3376661 |
| Homepage | newsunzip.com |
Trivia
- He was the brother of Parbati Ghose, the first woman film director and producer of Odisha.
- He acted as a child artist in the film ‘Laxmi’ in 1962.
- Nayak composed music for the film ‘Hira Nila’ in 1984, which was his debut as a music director.
- He wrote songs for the film ‘Pua Mora Bhola Shankar’ in 1996, which was his debut as a lyricist.
- He acted in the film ‘Kalinga Putra’ in 2008, which was his last film as an actor.
- Swarup composed music for the film ‘Swayamsiddha’ in 2010, which was his last film as a music director.
- He produced music records for puja and other occasions like ‘Le Labina…Tike Pachaku Ana…’, ‘Bata Chhada Asuchi Dasara Pujara Medha’ and ‘Odisha Mo Odisha’ for TV.
- He composed songs using Odia folklore, proverbs, and the colloquial language of rural people.
- Swarup Nayak used political satire in his songs and broke the dominance of singers from Mumbai and Bollywood.
- He created a gang of young singers in Odisha like Babul Supriyo, Kumar Bapi, Ira Mohanty, Tapu Mishra, and others.
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