ramesh chandra parida was born on 4 january 1947. in a rural village named jamapara, in patakura p.s of kendrapara district (odisha state). his father bhramarbar parida was a basic school teacher and his mother satyabhama parida was a home-maker. first among his three brothers and two sisters, parida was greatly influenced by his father's gandhian ideals from his childhood, which generated in him the spirit and confidence to begin a career in writing. as a result, as a school student he wrote and published short stories and poems in various children's magazines and children's page of newspapers. after completing his high school education at a neighbouring village, karilopatana, in 1962, parida obtained b.sc. (hons) degree (1966) and m.sc. in chemistry degree (1968) from the then revenshaw college, cuttack (now a unitary university).