Gopal Chhotray (1916–2003) was born in Puranagarh village of Jagatsinghpur district in Bihar and Orissa Province, India. He is considered to be one of the chief architects of modern Oriya theatre. He brought in significant changes in the morphology of Oriya plays, both in theme and structure. He rescued them from the hold of opera and melodrama, and the overbearing influence of neighbouring Bengal. Gopal Chhotray spent his entire life in Cuttack. 2016 would be the centenary year of his birth. A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF HIS PUBLICATIONS PLAYS MUSICALS COLLECTION OF STORIES