Bhubaneswar: Today, Odisha remembers with deep gratitude and pays its rich tributes to one of the greatest sons of “Utkal Mata” and founding fathers of Modern Odisha “Utkal Gaurav” Madhusudan Das on his birth anniversary.
Utkal Gourab Madhusudan Das (28 April 1848 – 4 February 1934) was the first graduate and advocate of Odisha. He was born on 28 April 1848 in a village called Satyabhamapur, 20 kilometres from Cuttack, Odisha.He is known as Kulabruddha which means Grand Old Man & Utkal Gourab which means Pride of Utkal and was referred to as a poet and freedom fighter.
In Odisha, his birthday is celebrated as Lawyers’ Day on April 28.
Das attended the village high school for his primary schooling, where he studied all courses, including Persian. Following his basic schooling, he attended Cuttack High School and finished his senior education there.
Later, he spent fifteen years in Calcutta pursuing his MA and BL degrees. He returned to Orissa after finishing his MA and BL degrees.
Creation of Odisha
He was the first Odia to be elected to both the Legislative Council and India’s Central Legislative Assembly. He established the Utkal Sammilani (Utkal Union Conference), which established the groundwork for Odia nationalism.
Utkal Sammilani was the driving force behind the demand for the merger of Odia-speaking areas under a single administration.
This resulted in the creation of the state of Odisha on April 1, 1936.
Das laboured tirelessly for the social, political, and economic advancement of the people of Eastern India. He served the country admirably as a brilliant lawyer, social reformer, and patriot.
He could also speak Oriya, English, and Bengali fluently. He published several poems and essays in Oriya and English to instil patriotism in people. He willingly donated all of his earnings to disadvantaged children’s higher education.
Das died on February 4, 1934, at the age of 85. By the time he died, he had spent all of his wealth for the welfare of the people of Orissa and declared himself bankrupt.
His enormous contribution to the state and nation will be remembered for ages to come.
On this occasion, Madhusudan’s birth anniversary and ‘Salipur Mahotsav’ was celebrated at his birthplace in Salipur in a grand manner. Similarly, ‘Birupa Mahostav’ was celebrated at Gopinathpur to commemorate Madhu Babu (As Madhusudan Das is popularly known).
Meanwhile, intellectuals have expressed resentment over the denial of India’s highest civilian award – Bharat Ratna to the great visionary Madhusudan so far despite his immense contribution to the State and the country.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday paid tribute to Utkal Gourab Madhusudan Das, popularly known as Madhu Babu, on his 175th birth anniversary.
ଓଡ଼ିଆ ଭାଷା ଆନ୍ଦୋଳନ ତଥା ସ୍ଵତନ୍ତ୍ର ଓଡ଼ିଶା ପ୍ରଦେଶ ଗଠନର ଅନ୍ଯତମ କର୍ଣ୍ଣଧାର ଉତ୍କଳ ଗୌରବ ମଧୁସୂଦନ ଦାସଙ୍କ ଜୟନ୍ତୀରେ ମୋର ଶ୍ରଦ୍ଧାଞ୍ଜଳି। ଓଡ଼ିଆ ଜାତିର ସ୍ଵାଭିମାନ ସୁରକ୍ଷା ସହ ଭାଷା, ସାହିତ୍ୟର ପ୍ରସାର ଏବଂ ରାଜ୍ୟକୁ ଶିଳ୍ପ ସମୃଦ୍ଧ କରିବାରେ ତାଙ୍କର ବହୁମୂଲ୍ୟ ଅବଦାନ ପାଇଁ ସେ ଚିରସ୍ମରଣୀୟ। pic.twitter.com/EjqiKaL4Im
— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) April 28, 2023
Also, JP National Vice President Baijayant Jay Panda paid rich tribute to the distinguished lawyer, freedom fighter, and architect of modern Odisha.
