Sadhu Meher was a Hindi and Odia actor, producer and director who was famously known for his roles in parallel cinema in the 70s and 80s. Born at Manamunda in Subarnapur district of Odisha, he made his acting debut in Mrinal Sen’s 'Bhuvan Shome' in 1969 and later went on to act in Hindi and Odia films including 'Ankur', 'Manthan', 'Nishant', 'Mrigayaa', 'Inkaar', 'Bhukha', 'Seeta Raati', 'Debshishu', 'Safed Haathi', 'Gharaonda', etc. He was awarded the National Film Award for Best Actor in 1974 for his role in Shyam Benegal’s 'Ankur', thus, becoming the first Odia star to win a National Award. He was conferred with Padma Shri in 2017 for his contribution to Indian cinema. He breathed his last at the age of 84 in Mumbai on 02 February 2024.