Nityananda Patnaik (b. 1927), formerly Director of Anthropology, National Institute of Rural Development (NIRD), is a scholar of wide renown and established author.  In earlier years of his career, he taught anthropology at Utkal University and had also been a fellow of the prestigious Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla.

Currently, Dr Patnaik is involved in various activities of the Social Science and Development Research Institute (SSADRI) which he set up at Bhubaneswar after his retirement from government service.