Debi Prasanna Pattanayak (born 14 March 1931) is an Indian professor, linguist, social scientist and author.

[1] He was the founder-director of the Central Institute of Indian Languages, Mysore and former chairman of Institute of Odia Studies and Research, Bhubaneswar.

Pattanayak was awarded Padma Shri in 1987.

[2] for his contribution to formalize, and adding Bodo language in the 8th schedule of the Constitution of India.

He also take a major role led Odia language to acquire the status of a "classical language".