Born on the Sravana Purnima day of 1862 at Barapalli in a weaver family, he made monumental contributions to Oriya language and literature. A great poet, he attempted to act as a path finder through his literary writings. His literary contributions emphasized of the moral values. He was a great poet, social reformer, teacher and above all a person brimming with the milk of humanity. Gangadhar Meher immortalised himself with his numerous literary creations, particularly the epic Tapaswini. He will be remembered as a great poet with few parallels. 

His subtle interpretation of nature earned him the sobriquet "Wordsworth of Oriss". With a diction that belongs to the roots of Oriya ethos, he handled with beauty the subject of nature. His language was earthly but treatment was metaphysical. His poetic creation include 'Pranaya Ballari’, ‘Kichaka Badha’, ‘Indumati’ , ‘Utkal Laxmi’, ‘Ayodhya’, ‘Bharati Bhabana’, ‘Bhakti Upahar’, ‘Kabita Mala’ & ‘Krushaka Sangita’. His prose creation include ‘Atma Jeevani’, Shri Nruparaj Singh’, ‘Purana Kabi Fakir Mohan’, Swargriya  Kasinath Panda, Ehaki Prothibira Sabda, Sikshit, Asikhsit & Sikshya Bhimanini.

The famous Gangadhar Meher College of Sambalpur is named after him, even though he was educated only upto class 5. He died on April 4, 1924.