Madhusudan Rao (29 January 1853 – 28 December 1912) was an Odia poet and writer from India.

His most well known work is the Chhabila Madhu Barnabodha.

He was born on 29 January 1853 in the district of Puri.

He was a prominent Odia poet and essayist widely considered as the Father Of Modern Odia Poetry, by adding foreign (western) lyrical elements and experimentation.

[1] He is known as Bhaktakavi of Odia and is considered the father of modern (using western lyrical forms) Odia poetry.