Odia readers have a strong newspaper habit, and the state's dailies are closely tied to its political and cultural history. Several leading papers are owned by families or institutions with deep roots in Odisha public life, and almost all of them publish district editions from Bhubaneswar and Cuttack.
This list ranks the leading Odia-language dailies. The first five follow the most recent full Indian Readership Survey (IRS 2019 Q4, MRUC), which orders Odisha's dailies by average issue readership. The other five have no comparable audited figure, so we have ordered them by heritage and footprint. For each paper you will find the basics, what it is known for, and how it fits a PR plan. If you are planning coverage, our Odia press release distribution page explains how we write for and distribute to these desks.
Key takeaways
- Sambad and Samaja lead Odisha on readership, followed by Prameya and Dharitri (IRS 2019 Q4, Orissa).
- Samaja, started in 1919 by Utkalmani Gopabandhu Das, and Prajatantra, founded by Harekrushna Mahatab, carry a century of Odia public life.
- Most Odia dailies are based in Bhubaneswar or Cuttack but publish district editions, so local angles travel well.
- A release written in Odia by a native writer reads as news; a last-minute translation reads as an advertisement.
The list at a glance
| Newspaper | Founded | Publisher | Based in |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Sambad | 1984 | Sambad Group (Eastern Media Ltd) | Bhubaneswar |
| 2. The Samaja | 1919 | Servants of the People Society | Cuttack |
| 3. Prameya | Not verified | Summa Real Media | Bhubaneswar |
| 4. Dharitri | 1974 | Samajwadi Society | Bhubaneswar |
| 5. Pragativadi | 1973 | Not verified | Bhubaneswar |
| 6. Prajatantra | 1923 (as a weekly) | Not verified | Cuttack |
| 7. The Samaya | 1996 | Not verified | Bhubaneswar |
| 8. Odisha Bhaskar | 2004 | Not verified | Bhubaneswar |
| 9. Anupam Bharat | Not verified | Not verified | Odisha |
| 10. Odisha Samachar | Not verified | Not verified | Odisha |
1. Sambadସମ୍ବାଦ
- Founded
- 4 October 1984
- Publisher
- Sambad Group (Eastern Media Ltd)
- Based in
- Bhubaneswar
- Website
- sambad.in
Sambad was launched in Bhubaneswar in 1984 by Soumya Ranjan Patnaik, and its publisher, Eastern Media Ltd, now operates as the Sambad Group. It publishes several editions across Odisha and runs an English news site, Sambad English, alongside its broadcast and digital arms.
In IRS 2019 Q4 it led Odisha with an average issue readership of about 1.5 million and total readership of about 6.6 million.
2. The Samajaସମାଜ
- Founded
- 1919
- Publisher
- Servants of the People Society
- Based in
- Cuttack
- Website
- thesamaja.in
The Samaja was started in 1919 by Utkalmani Gopabandhu Das as a weekly at Satyabadi and became a daily in 1931. It is owned by the Servants of the People Society (Lok Sevak Mandal) and published from Cuttack. A postage stamp marked its centenary in 2019.
IRS 2019 Q4 placed it second, with an average issue readership of about 1.3 million and total readership of about 5.7 million.
3. Prameyaପ୍ରମେୟ
- Founded
- Not verified
- Publisher
- Summa Real Media
- Based in
- Bhubaneswar
- Website
- prameyanews.com
Prameya is published from Bhubaneswar by Summa Real Media, part of the group behind the Siksha 'O' Anusandhan university. It prints from eleven edition centres and has a sister television channel, Prameya News7, launched in 2015.
In IRS 2019 Q4 its average issue readership was about 0.94 million, third in Odisha, with total readership of about 3.6 million.
4. Dharitriଧରିତ୍ରୀ
- Founded
- 24 November 1974
- Publisher
- Samajwadi Society
- Based in
- Bhubaneswar
- Website
- dharitri.com
Dharitri was launched in Bhubaneswar in 1974. It is owned and edited by Tathagata Satpathy, and its sister publication is the English daily Orissa Post.
IRS 2019 Q4 recorded an average issue readership of about 0.47 million and total readership of about 2.7 million, fourth in Odisha.
5. Pragativadiପ୍ରଗତିବାଦୀ
- Founded
- 1973
- Publisher
- Not verified
- Based in
- Bhubaneswar
- Website
- pragativadi.com
Pragativadi was founded in 1973 by Pradyumna Bal and is published from Bhubaneswar, with six editions. It describes itself as "what an independent daily ought to be".
In IRS 2019 Q4 it was the fifth Odia daily listed for Odisha, with total readership of about 0.65 million.
6. Prajatantraପ୍ରଜାତନ୍ତ୍ର
- Founded
- 1923 (as a weekly)
- Publisher
- Not verified
- Based in
- Cuttack
- Website
- Not listed
Prajatantra was founded by Harekrushna Mahatab, freedom fighter and later Chief Minister of Odisha. Odisha government records date it to 1923 as a weekly from Balasore, returning as a daily in 1947. It is published from Cuttack and edited by Bhartruhari Mahtab.
No IRS figure is available for Prajatantra.
7. The Samayaସମୟ
- Founded
- 2 October 1996
- Publisher
- Not verified
- Based in
- Bhubaneswar
- Website
- samayaepaper.com
The Samaya was launched in Bhubaneswar in 1996 by Basanta Kumar Biswal. It is a general-interest daily with a strong presence in the capital region.
No IRS figure is available for The Samaya.
8. Odisha Bhaskarଓଡ଼ିଶା ଭାସ୍କର
- Founded
- 2004
- Publisher
- Not verified
- Based in
- Bhubaneswar
- Website
- bhaskarepaper.in
Odisha Bhaskar was founded in 2004 by Madhu Mohanty and is published from Bhubaneswar, with an e-paper edition. Its tagline translates roughly as "it speaks your words".
No IRS figure is available for Odisha Bhaskar.
9. Anupam Bharatଅନୁପମ ଭାରତ
- Founded
- Not verified
- Publisher
- Not verified
- Based in
- Odisha
- Website
- anupambharat.com
Anupam Bharat is an Odia daily listed on the Odisha government's newspaper lists, with an e-paper edition.
No IRS figure is available for Anupam Bharat.
10. Odisha Samacharଓଡ଼ିଶା ସମାଚାର
- Founded
- Not verified
- Publisher
- Not verified
- Based in
- Odisha
- Website
- eodishasamachar.com
Odisha Samachar publishes Odia news in print and through its e-paper and news site.
No IRS figure is available for Odisha Samachar.
How we ranked these newspapers
The Indian Readership Survey is the industry standard for readership. The last full round, IRS 2019 Q4 (published by MRUC in 2020), lists five Odia dailies for Odisha, ordered by average issue readership: Sambad, Samaja, Prameya, Dharitri and Pragativadi. Those are our first five.
Prajatantra, The Samaya, Odisha Bhaskar, Anupam Bharat and Odisha Samachar have no comparable audited figure, so we have ordered them by heritage and footprint. Other Odia papers worth knowing include Sambad Kalika, Khabar and Nitidina, and the English daily Orissa Post. We have not used circulation figures, because published numbers are not consistently audited.
How to get coverage in Odia newspapers
Three things decide whether an Odia desk runs a story. The first is local relevance: a district, an industry or a community in Odisha that benefits. The second is language: a release written in Odia by a native writer reads as news, while a translation reads as an advertisement. The third is geography: Bhubaneswar and Cuttack dominate, but district editions in places like Berhampur, Sambalpur, Balasore and Rourkela give local stories room.
For fixed-date announcements, Odia press release distribution and clearly labelled sponsored formats are dependable. Editorial coverage cannot be bought or guaranteed; we pursue it only. For campaigns across several states, see our regional PR distribution options.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the most-read Odia newspaper?
Sambad. In IRS 2019 Q4 it recorded an average issue readership of about 1.5 million in Odisha, ahead of The Samaja at about 1.3 million and Prameya at about 0.94 million.
Which is the oldest Odia newspaper still published?
Of the papers on this list, The Samaja, started in 1919 by Utkalmani Gopabandhu Das, is the oldest. Prajatantra, founded by Harekrushna Mahatab, dates from the 1920s.
Is Oriya the same as Odia?
Yes. The state and its language were officially renamed from Orissa and Oriya to Odisha and Odia in 2011. Both spellings are still common in search and in older references.
Can I get my press release published in Sambad?
Editorial coverage is decided by the paper's journalists and cannot be guaranteed. Press release distribution and sponsored formats are available for fixed-date announcements. For editorial coverage, media relations builds the story and takes it to the right desk.
Should a press release for Odia media be written in Odia?
Yes. A release written in Odia by a native writer is far more likely to be used than an English release or a machine translation.
