Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik paid tributes to freedom fighter and social reformer Utkalmani Gopabandhu Das on his birth anniversary.
<>
ମହାନ ସ୍ୱାଧୀନତା ସଂଗ୍ରାମୀ ତଥା ନିଃସ୍ୱାର୍ଥପର ସେବା ଓ ତ୍ୟାଗର ପ୍ରତୀକ ଉତ୍କଳମଣି ପଣ୍ଡିତ ଗୋପବନ୍ଧୁ ଦାସଙ୍କ ଜୟନ୍ତୀରେ ମୋର ଶ୍ରଦ୍ଧାଞ୍ଜଳି। ତାଙ୍କର ଅମାପ ଦେଶପ୍ରେମ, ଶିକ୍ଷିତ ସମାଜ ଗଠନର ମୂଲ୍ୟବୋଧ ଏବଂ ଓଡ଼ିଆ ଭାଷା, ସାହିତ୍ୟକୁ ରୁଦ୍ଧିମନ୍ତ କରୁଥିବା ଅନନ୍ୟ ସୃଜନସୃଷ୍ଟି ସର୍ବଦା ପ୍ରେରଣାର ଉତ୍ସ। pic.twitter.com/fxfmuRZQ4A
— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) October 9, 2022
</>
Gopabandhu Das popularly known as ‘Utkalmani’ (Gem of Odisha) was born October 9, 1877 in a noble Brahmin family in Suando village located on the banks of Bhargabhi River in Puri district. His father’s name was Shree Daitari Dash and his mother’s name was Swarnamayee Devi.
Das completed his B.A. from Ravenshaw College in 1904 and later completed B.L. from Calcutta University in 1906.
He was known for his selfless service to the poor and downtrodden people of Odisha. He had contributed immensely in the national struggle towards achieving freedom.
Later, Das served as a member of Vidhan Sabha of Bihar and Odisha from 1917 to 1921.
As an administrator, he took several initiatives for the upliftment of the people of Odisha suffering from recurrent natural calamities such as flood, cyclone and famines as well as social evils such as illiteracy, poverty and disease. Pandit Gopabandhu Das also started Odia newspaper ‘Samaja’ which started publication October 04, 1919.
