Painting of Jyotiranjan Gudia

Dr. Jyotiranjan Gudia June 02, 2025

Painting of Jyotiranjan Gudia

Posted by Dr. Jyotiranjan Gudia

Dr. Jyotiranjan Gudia was born on May 1, 1997, in Muduliguda village of Malkangiri district, Odisha. He belongs to a tribal community and has always stayed closely connected to the culture, traditions and social systems of indigenous people. He completed his Ph.D. at Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS), Deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar. His doctoral research focused on the traditional political system of the Didayi tribe, one of the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in Odisha. His thesis, titled “Continuity and Changes of Traditional Political System of Didayi Tribe in Odisha: A Case Study of Malkangiri District,” examined how traditional governance structures have evolved in response to contemporary influences. He carried out extensive fieldwork in 12 villages across Malkangiri, studying traditional leadership roles such as Naik, Chalan, Pujari and Dishari. Committed to preserving tribal identity and knowledge, he continues to work toward empowering indigenous communities through research and advocacy. Dr. Jyotiranjan Gudia is the first Doctorate from the Didayi community of Malkangiri district of Odisha.