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Freedom Fighters

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1.Baji Rout

Name:-Baji Rout
Date Of Birth:-5th oct 1926
Native Place:-Nilakanthapur,Dhenkanal,Odisha
Date Of Death:-11th oct 1938
Other Name:- Bajia


          Baji Rout is the youngest martyr of India.Baji Rout was the youngest son of Hari Rout who was a boat man of the river Brahmani.After his father's death he was brought up by his mother who was thriving on wages earned by rice-husking in neighbourhood.When veer Baisnav hoisted a banner of mutiny against the king and founded prajamandal,Baji joined it in defiance of delicate age.British and the armed forces of king were in search of Veer Baisnav.


          It was 10th oct 1938 when British police attacked Bhuban and arrested some people.Then the leaders of Prajamandal demanded to release all the arrested people immediately.But the British police started fire and killed two people.After this event the British police felt risky and tried to leave the place.The British police tried to leave the village and reached at the bank of river Brahmani which was the short way to leave the village.At that time the youngest boy Baji Rout who was only 12 year old was the guard of the boat of river Brahmani ghat.


          Baji was heard about the incident.So when the british police ordered Baji to cross the river by his boat he refused to obey there order.So that the British killed Baji Rout by firing.It was 11th oct 1938.Baji Rout is a true freedom fighter who born and died for India.This incident shock the entire nation.People from within and outside the state lauded the supreme sacrifice of brave martyr.

2.Bhagirathi Pattnaik
3.Birsa Munda

Name:-Birsa Munda
Date Of Birth:-15th Nov 1875
Birth Place:-Ulihathu,Khunti,India
Date Of Death:-9th June 1900
Father:-Sugana Munda
Mother:-Karmi Hatu

          Birsa Munda was an Indian freedom fighter and a tribal leader who seditioned against the British rule.He was an Indian tribal freedom fighter spiritual leader and clan hero who belonged to Munda tribe.Birsa Munda was born in 15th Nov 1875 at Ulihatu,Ranchi District.Ulihatu was the birth place of Sugana Munda who was father of Birsha Munda.His elder brother Komta Munda living in the village.Birsa's father ,mother Karmi hatu and younger brother,Pasna munda left Ulihatu and travelled to Kurumbda near Birbank in search of job as labourers.At Kurmunda his elder brother Komta,and his sister Daskir were born.Then the family moved to Bamba where Birsa's elder sister Champa was born.Birsa'early year were spent with his parents at chalked.


          Birsa gave a strident call to the Munda's of crucial war against the British.After a series of concerted attacks for nearly two years on the places patriotic to British.The Mundas warriors started gathering on 'Dombari Hill' at village sail Rakab on the called of Birsa.His achievements in the freedom struggle became even greater considering he proficient this before his 25th year.


          From 1886 to 1890 his family took up residence chaibasa,a place which came under the guidance of sardar's activities.While living in the neighbourhood of village Sankara in Singhum,he came across a suitable life partner but later left her because of her treachery.Later he received the proposa the marriage from two women the daughter of Mathura Munda of Koensar and the wife of Jaga Munda of Jiuri, but refused to marry either of them.On March 3 ,1900 he was arrested with his tribal underground fighter by British soldiers in jamkopai forest Chakradharpur.On 9th june 1900 he died at the age of 25 in Ranchi jail where he waskept captive.But British govt.


          Declared that he died of cholera although he showed no symptoms of the disease.To honour this revolutionary,a number of institutes/colleges and places have been named after him.Some of the prominent ones are"Birsa institute of technology",Birsa agricultural university",Birsa munda athletics stadium",Birsa munda airport".

4.Biswambhar Parida

Name:-Biswambhar Parida
Data Of Birth:-9th february 1921
Birth Place:-Jagatsinghpur,Odisha
Date Of Death:-25th Nov 1999

          Biswambhar Parida born on 9th february 1921 in Jagatsinghpur,Odisha.He was a distinguished indian freedom fighter.He joined into the Indian independence movement at a very prior age and was a pious follower of Gandhian freedom movement and was arrested for around two years.


          His actions in Berhampur jail during freedom movement has many victory.After independence of india he staunched himself as journalist in the leading regional newspapers of Odisha,such as The Samaj and the Prajatantra for more than 40 years.While working for Prajayantra he remained a close associate of Late Harekrushna Mahatab ex-chief minister of Odisha and ex-Governor of Maharastra.


          Till his death Mr. Parida remained one of the five permanent trust board members of the Prajatantra Prachar samiti founded by Late Harekrushna Mahatab.And he had close colleague with Biju Patnaik and Janaki Ballabh Patnaik.He remain President of all Odisha freedom fighters samiti for more than 15 years and also became vice-president of all india freedom fighter's samiti.Later stage of his life Mr.Parida was active in several social and cultural organisations in cities of Cuttack,Bhubaneswar and Jagatsinghpur. He died in cuttack on 25th November 1999?He was awarded post- obituary "Utkal Jyoti".


5.Biswanath Das

Name:-Biswanath Das
Date Of Birth:-8th march 1889
Birth Place:-Belagan,Ganjam,Odisha
Date Of Death:-2nd june 1984(aged 95)

          Biswanath Das was born on 8th march 1889 at Belagan which is a village of Ganjam district.He completed his graduation in Ravenshaw college Cuttack and law college in Calcutta.Practised in Ganjam district 1919-21.He joined congress in 1921.Biswanath Das was a member of legislative council of Madras territory from 1921 to1930.


          He started kishan sangha in Madras presidency 1920.He resigned from M.L.A in salt-satyagrah 1920 often courted imprisonment in freedom movement.After the separation of Odisha on April 1,1936 he was elected M.L.A of Odisha.


          He was chief minister of Odisha territory of British India 1937-39.Biswanath Das became a member of the constituent Assembly of India in 1946-51.He was also the member of A.I.C.C for several years,and also Utkal P.C.C for three times.


          He was the Governor of Uttar Pradesh 1962-67.After the Odisha vidhan sabha election in 1971, the Utkal congress,the swatantra party and the Jharkhand party formed a United front and became the chief minister of the United front government.He was the chief munister of Odisha from 3 April 1971-14 June 1972.He was an Indian politician.He was died in 2nd June 1984 at Cuttack aged 95.


6.Ghanshyam Panigrahi

Name:-Ghanshyam Panigrahi
Date Of Birth:-27 October 1881
Birth Place:-Manpur,Bargarh,Odisha
Date Of Death:-
Father:-Uddhaba Panigrahi
Mother:-Rahi Devi

          He was born on 27th october 1881 at Manpur, a village now located in the Bargarh district of odisha.The middle son of Uddhaba Panigrahi and Rahi Devi.


          He was the student of Zilla school. Though the students of Zilla School were the first to adopt the non-co-operation movement in odisha by stopping form their classes, he was one of the first people to take the lead in organizing the movements in the areas away from the cities of Sambalpur with the help of other volunteers. He started his career as a school teacher at the age of 12 with money paid for working of Rs.10/-.While he was working as a teacher in village Ganiapali around 1910, he came into contact with a local Kaviraja, a (professional or skilled person) of (ancient medicine) medicines and so he began his long innings in Ayurveda.


          He was an active member of Indian National Congress till India accomplished with effort independence. In 1921 he attended the All India Congress Committee Meeting at Ahmedabad as a representative of the Sambalpur District Congress Committee. After returning from Ahmadabad he reserved his time and energy to enrolling people as most important members of the Congress party, especially in the eastern part of the then Sambalpur district and in Sonepur and Birmaharajpur area of Bolangir.


          This was the most very busy period in his life when he walked from village to village explaining to the people the message of Gandhiji and of the Congress. Ghanashyam Panigrahi also played the creation of/the beginning of the existence of the National School at Sambalpur in 1921 for giving/communicating training to the congress volunteers to enable them to effectively participate in the freedom struggle.


7.Gopabandhu Das

Nama:-Gopabandhu Das
Date Of Birth:-9th Oct 1877
Native Place:-Suando,Puri,Odisha
Work as-Freedom fighter,Poet,Philosopher,Social activist
Date Of Death:-17th June 1928(aged 50

          Pandit Gopabandhu Das known as Utkalmani.He was a social worker,poet,philosopher.Gopabandhu Das was born in 9th oct 1877 at Suando village of Puri district.


          He was the heir of Mr.Daitari Das and Mrs.Swarnamayee Devi.His mother died at his absolutely young.He started his early education in his village primary school.Then he was sent to Zilla school at puri.After complete graduation he studied law and became a lawer.When he was studied in Puri zilla school he met his teacher M. Ramachandra Das who was Nationalist and he was inspried by him to serve for Nation.During his studentship in school,cholera brike out during the cart-festival of Lird Jagannath which took away heavy cost of lifes.


          At the age of 12 he married April but continued his education.While continuing his study in the Ravenshaw college he along with his friends like Brajasundar Das and Acharya Harihara Das made a liability to succour the poor and the beggared.While his son was seriously i'll he got the report of flood in the interior area of the district.He neglected the serious illness of his son and went to the flood affected people to bestow them relief.During his absence his son died.He said that Lord Jagannath will save his child and there are so many people to look after my son but there are so many people crying fir help in the affected area.


          Gopabandhu was the first leader of Odisha to origin the Odisha provincial committe.He became the first president of the congress party in Odisha and brought gandhiji ti Odisha in 1921 the cause of insurrection movement.He was jailed by polish in 1921 and again arrested for two years in 1922.He was released from Hazidabagh jail on 26th june 1924.Gopabandhu Das inagurated his satyabadi bana vidyalaya in the year of 1909 at sakhigopal.He was an notable writer and poet.Some of his poems like "kara kabita,dharmapada,bandi ra atma katha".He published a monthly magazine called "Satyabadi" in 1914.Later in 4th oct 1919 the special day of Vijayadashami he started the weekly newspaper "The Samaj" which bacame the most popular daily newspaper of Odisha.


          Gopabandhu fell ill while attending a fund raising ceremony in lahore for the flood sufferer of Odisha.After which he recouped.He died on 17th july 1928 at aged 50.He will be never forgotton by Odisha.


8.Gurubari Meher

          The story of Respected Gurubari, the brave lady of western odisha, is one that has remained unknown to the people of independent India and history experts also. Respected Gurubari joined the movement because she was of the opinion that the fight for freedom was not only for men and women should also join it. This brave fighter Respected Gurubari Meher who laid down her life for the motherland remains unappreciated and unknown even to this day.


          On January 28, 1947, a few months before India became independent, the then (princely) state government of Sonepur let loose a rule of terror at Binika town. The people rose in angrily fight against unfair authority the king for his pro-British (way of standing/way of thinking). Nearly 20,000 freedom fighters, led by a brave woman, organized a mass movement against the king.


          Police chosen to because there was no other choice charge with wood stick and the woman leader of the movement was shot dead by the police. A senior lecturer of history at Bhawanipatna Government College, Dr Siba Prasad Nanda, said after the people of Binika destroyed the pro-royalist government in power under the leadership of Respected Gurubari, a news item had been published in 'Dainik Asha' from Sambalpur on 23 January 1947.


          One Sarangadhar Dash wrote the news report, with the headline 'Victory For the People Of Sonepur'. History expert Sadhu Panda feels Respected Gurubari played as important a role in the freedom struggle as three other famous women fighters of western Odisha -- Jambubati Debi, Prabhabati Debi, and Parbati Giri. Respected Gurubari Meher was killed in fighting against a raja in India as part of the struggle to end British rule. Except for a small talk about/say of her participation in the Praja Mandal Movement, very few facts are known about her.


          She laid down her life for India's sake but remained unappreciated. Except for a small talk about/say of her participation in the Praja Mandal Movement, she has not been showed/represented as the brave soldier of western Odisha that she was."Respected Gurubari's story of bravery should be made popular to inspire modern Indian women. In her case, domestic issues and the problem of job reminded her to join the struggle, which later took the shape of a freedom struggle. The story of Respected Gurubari is one that has never been retold to the residents of Independent India, and, strangely, neither do many history experts know of her.


9.Harekrushna Mahatab

Name:-Harekrushna Mahatab
Date Of Birth:-21 November 1899
Birth Place:-Agarpada,Bhadrak,Odisha
Date Of Death:-2nd january 1987(aged 87)
Father:-Krushna Charan Das
Mother:-Tohapha Debi

          On 21 november 1899 Harekrushna Mahatab was born at Agarpada village of Bhadrak district.He was the son of Mr. Krushna Charan Das and Tohapha Debi.He was studied at Bhadrak high school and then joined Ravenshaw college Cuttack.


          He discontinued his study to join the freedom movement.He participated in salt-satyagraha and was arrested for many times.He became the state congress president 1930-31 and 1937.He was nominated by Subhash Chandra Bose as the member of National Congress working committe in1939.


          He was the chief minister of Odisha from1946-1950 and again 1956-1961.He was the chairman of Balasore district Board from 1924-1928 and the member of Bihar and Odisha Council in 1924.He was the Union minister of commerce and Industry from 1950-1952.


          He was the Governor of Bombay from 1955-1956.In 1962 he was elected to Loka sabha.Later he was electet to the Odisha Legislative Asembly.


          He created a record of becoming first Non-congress chief minister and head of unification government in Odisha during 1967-1971.In 1971 he joined congress and become leader of opposition in Vidhan sabha.Because of his antithesis with Indira Gandhi made him proffer farewell to congress in 1973 and his political career almost came to end.


          In 1923 he was founded the popular odia daily 'Prajatantra' under the sponsorship of 'Prajatantra Prachar Samiti'.He was a great freedom fighter,socialist,writer,philosopher,historian and administrator.He was given Kendra Sahitya Academy award in 1938 for his book"Gaon Majlis".He also started an magazine "Jhankar" on odia literature and a children's magazine"Minabajar".


          He was awarded Honorary Doctorate degrees by Andhra University,Utkal University and Saugar University for recognizing his services in the field of literature,journalism and public life.The capital of Odisha is sifted from Cuttack to Bhubaneswar at his representative.


          He was written as many 24 books in english and odia.Some of Novels and Essays in odia are "Prativa,Toutor,Abyapar,Gaon Majilis".Drama: "Chhaya Pathara Jatri,Sesashru,Andhajaya".He breathed his last on 2nd january 1987.He was popularly known by the pseudonym "Utkal Kesari".


10.Jayee Rajguru

Name:-Jayee Rajguru
Date Of Birth:-29th oct 1739
Birth Place:-Harekrushnapur,Puri,Odisha
Date Of Death:-6th Dec 1806(aged 67)
Father:-Chand Rajguru
Mother:-Haramani Devi

          Saheed Jayee Rajguru's genuine name was Jayakrushna Mahapatra.After his appointment as 'Rajguru' to the king be popularly known as Jayee Rajguru.Saheed Jayee Rajguru was born on 29 ict 1739 in the village Harekrushnapur near Puri,odisha.


          He was the son of Shri Chandra Rajguru and Smt. Haramani Devi.He grew up to be a phenomenal sanskrit scholar and intellctual of the 18th century.Later he faught for his motherland against the British.Rajguru at a very early age became proficient with the vedas,Indian puranas and other holy scriptures.


          Being an excellent scholar in sanskrit like his grandfather Gadadhar Rajguru and a great tantra sadhak,he was appointed as the chief minister -cum-Rajguru of Gajapal Dibyasingha Dev in the year 1780 at the age of 41.He was a lifelong celibete.He was also the Rajguru of Gajapati Mukundadev-II.


          In 1804 he along with his legions barraged the British force on the Bank of Mahanadi river.The British soldiers arranged many other soldiers from chennai to energize its troop.On december 1804 the final 'Battle of Barunei' took place on the foothills of Barunei.In the Battle the soldiers of Jayee Rajguru crushed 7000 strong British army.


          The battle skill courage and sacrifice made by Jayee Rajguru and his followers are now a part if living legend of Odisha.The British utilized to devine and rule policy by enticing a few if the locals by offering large tax free land holding in return for information on Jayee Rajguru his battleplan and inside information of the forte.


          As a result Jayee Rajguru was captured and arrested.Thus the last independent forte of India fell to the British.The fight continued for long period and Jayee Rajguru was arrested from the khurda castle and was taken to the Barbati castle.The king Mukunda Dev-II was arrested in 3 january 1805.Then Jayee Rajguru and the king were sent to Midnapore jail from Cuttack.


          The British liberated Mukunda Dev-II and sent him to Puri fir settlement.After a prolonged period of trial session he was given capital punishment for going against the state and the British officials.Jayee Rajguru courageously accepted the punishment as he thought that fighting for one's freedom and the honour of the motherland was not a crime.He was killed in a very merciless manner on 6 december 1806.


          His legs were tied with two different branches of banyan tree and the branches were let off splitting his body into two parts.This led to the end of chauvinism and courage of Jayee Rajguru.Jayee Rajguru was an indian freedom fighter who is the first marty of Odisha.


11.Jatindranath Mukherjee (Bagha Jatin)
12.Krushna Chandra Gajapati

Name:-Krushna Chandra Gajapati
Date Of Birth:-26th april 1892
Birth Place-Paralakhemundi,Odisha
Date Of Death:-25th may 1974(aged 82)
Father:-Goura Chandra Gajapati
Mother:-Radhamani Devi

          Krushna Chandra Gajapati popularly known as Maharaja Sir Krushna Chandra Gajapati Narayan Dev.He was born on 26th april 1892 to the king of Paralakhemundi Goura Chandra Gajapati and Radhamani Devi.He was started his education from a local Maharaja school Paralakhemundi then he got admission to Newington residential College at Madras for higher studies and complete his education from Madras University in 1913.


          At the age of 12 Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati had lost his father.At that time he was the minor zamindari of Paralakhemundi was transferred to Mr. N.Macmichale who was the ICS agent to the court of words.He was the first man of Odisha who had dreamt about swarantra Odisha Pradesh on the basis of language and homogeneity.As a member of Utkal sammilani in 16th November 1930 he gave the proposal of separate Odisha state in first round table conference held in London.


          Then the separate state of Odisha was formed on 1st April 1936 for which 1st April is celebrated as Utkal Divas.In 1st April 1937 he became the first prime minister of Odisha.In 1941-1944 again he became the prime minister of Odisha.He is responsible for establishment of famous rice research institute in Cuttack,Utkal University,SCB medical college and Odisha High Court.In 1936 Odisha government conferred with a title of "Maharaja".Shri Krishna Chandra Gajapati was the honorary captain in the first world war.The son of Odisha Sri Krushna Chandra Gajapati died on 25th may 1974 at the age of 82.He was interested in odia literature,art,music,culture,spots,games and horses riding.The present Gajapati district of Odisha was named after him.


13.Laxman Nayak

Name:-Laxman Nayak
Date Of Birth:- 2 November 1899
Birth Place-Tentuliguma, Koraput ,Odisha
Date Of Death:-29 march 1943
Father:-Padlam Nayak

          Laxman Nayak, a folk-hero of Odisha and a cult figure among its tribals, was born on 22nd November, 1899 in Tentuliguma village of Koraput district and his father padlam Nayak was a tribal chieftain and 'Mustadar' under 'Jeypore Samasthanam' in the Madras presidency. He belonged to a Bhuyan tribe. He fought single handed against the terrible because of mistreatment foreign rulers with perfect/complete skill and a rare passion and energy of a fighter.


          He was the very fountain of grit, courage and strength to huge numbers of followers and coworkers and shone by rare brilliance. He stood up like a rock with only one most powerful truth as his polestar, the freedom of his mother land. This innocent tribal hero Laxman Naik was attracted towards the National Movement, when the message of Congress Movement reached Koraput.


          He became an active member of the Congress in enrolling as charanna member of the Indian National Congress. He carried a Charkha, with the message of school classes for adults and not doing something from alcohol to every tribal household of his area and brought about a total change in the away from cities picture/situation.


          He became the of mission in the Congress series of actions to reach a goal in the Koraput Sub-division during the first ever election in 1936.Laxman Nayak took the charge of President of the Congress primary committee at Matili in Koraput in 1942.The tribal people called him “Gandhi of Malkangiri. Responding to the call of Mahatma Gandhi, laxman Nayak led a procession on 21st August 1942 an demonstrated peacefully in front of Mythili Police Station . But the police fired at the demonstrators indiscriminately. Which claimed forty lives and more than two hundred were injured.


          Laxman Naik was sent to Berhampur jail for execution of death sentence. Laxman Naik, a valiant freedom fighter of Odisha was in the condemned cell since the 16th November 1942.He was hanged to death on 29th March 1943 in Berharmpur Jail. Nayak in odia means chief of a tribe, a leader and a hero. Laxman Nayak was all these and much more.


14.Madhusudan Das

Name:-Madhusudan Das
Date Of Birth:-28th april 1848
Birth place:-Satyabhamapur,Cuttack,Odisha
Date of Death:-4th Feb 1934(aged 85)
Father:-Chaudhury Raghunath Das
Mother:-Parbati debi

          On 28th April 1848 Utkal Gaurab Madhusudan Das was took birth in a village Satyabhamapur which is 20 kilometers distance fron Cuttack.He was born to a Zamindari family.


          He was born from father Chaudhury Raghunath Das and mother Parbati Debi.His parents named him as Gobindaballava and later they changed his name to Madhusudana.He had two elder sister and one younger brother Gopalaballabh who was the magistrate of Bihar territory and also the father of Ramadevi.


          Madhusudan Das was.addopted a daughter Sailabala in whose name the famous Sailabala womens college in Cuttack.Sailabala was a Bengali and the parents left her in care of Madhusudan Das and his wife at Culcutta.He had completed his primary education in village high school.After his primary education he went to Cuttack high school to complete his secondary education.


          Later he went to Culcutta to pursue his MA and BL degree.In 1870 he became the first odia to get the degree of M.A.B.L from Culcutta University.He was a successful lawer,social reformer and nationalist.After returning to Odisha from Calcutta in 1881 he started his legal practice.His birth anniversary is observed as Lawer's day in the state.He was also an excelent writer in odia,english and bengali.


          Some of his important points are "Utkal Santan,Jati Itihash and Jananira Ukti" etc.He founded Itkal samilani which brought a drastic change in social and industrial development of Odisha.By his long political fight he united Odisha and Modern Odisha took birth on 1st april 1936.This day is celebrated as "Utkal Dibasa".He faught against the British rule and started a revolution named 'Desha Mishra Andolan'.


          He took up with British high command and the result formation of Odisha separate state in 1933.He founded Utkal tennery in 1905, a factory producing shoes and other leather products.In 1897 he founded Odisha Art were works with his support, the tarakasi work of gold and silver ornaments achieved commendable feet.Utkal Gourav Madhusudan Das died at the age of 85 on 4th february 1934.


          By the time of his death he had spent all his property in the well being of people of Odisha and declared himself indebted.He sacrificed his whole life for the welfare of his country and people.


15.Madhusudan Rao

Name:-Madhusudan Rao
Date Of Birth:-19 January 1853
Birth place:-Puri,Odisha
Date of Death:-28 December 1912(aged 59)
Father:-Bhagirathi Rao
Mother:-Ambika Devi

          Madhusudan Rao was a prominent odia poet of late 19th and early 20th centuries. The poet was born on 19 January 1853(shree panchami) at puri. He was born in a Maharastrian Kshyatriya family. They came to Odisha during the rule of Marathas. After Odisha was ruled by the British many of these Marathas were left back in Odisha.


          His father Bhagirathi Rao who was a employee of Odisha police brought him up when he lost his mother Ambika Devi at the youngest age of five. As a employee of police department they had to transferred to different places like Cuttack,Bhubaneswar,Puri etc. His grandfather was a Marathi offices, before the British occupation. He started his early education in Puri Zilla school. In 1871 he passed FA from Revenshaw college. During his career as student at Cuttack he be a friended with Pyarimohan Pradhan and became a devout Brahmo Samajist.


          In 1880 he became the Deputy Inspector of Education when Radhanath Ray was the Inspector. The rest of his life he spent his time with writing. In 1895 a book named "Barnabodha" was published was written by Madhusudan Rao. About one lakh twenty thousand copies of this book were sold in one year. His other books were Sisubodha,Balabodha,Sahitya Kusum and Prabandhamala etc. Many magazines like "Sikhyabandhu","Asha","Utkal Darpan", etc. were published by his effort. He is popularly known as "Bhaktakabi". He took his last breathe on 28 December 1912 at age of 59.


16.Malati Dev Choudhury

Name:-Malati Dev Choudhury
Date Of Birth:-26th July 1904
Birth Place:-Kamarakhanda Bikrampur, Dhaka,India
Date Of Death:-15 march 1998(aged 93)

Popular Freedom fighter, social activest,writer Malati choudhury born in 1904 in an upper middle class Brahmo family. Malati’s family originally belonged to Kamarakhanda in Bikrampur, Dhaka, (now in Bangladesh), but her family members had settled in Simultala, Bihar. She was the daughter of Barrister Kumud Nath Sen, whom she had lost when she was only two and a half years old, and Snehalata Sen, who brought her up.Her mother Snehalata Sen was a good writer who wrote Jugalanjali and translated some works of Rabindranath Tagore.


Her maternal grandfather was Behari Lal Gupta, ICS, who became the Dewan of Baroda.Her first cousins on her mother's side of the family were Ranjit Gupta, ICS, a former Chief Secretary West Bengal, and Indrajit Gupta, the famous parliamentarian and former Home Minister of India. Here eldest brother, P. K. Sen Gupta, a former Income Tax Commissioner, belonged to the Indian Revenue Service, and another brother, K. P. Sen, a former Postmaster General, was from the Indian Postal Service.


Malati came to Santiniketan in 1921, when she was only sixteen years old, and lived there for a little more than six years. They attended classes in the open under trees, learnt embroidery, handicrafts, music, dancing, painting and gardening. Gurudev affectionately called her `Minu`.At this time, a young man, Nabakrushna Choudhuri, from a well known family of Orissa, came to Santiniketan as a student.


He came from Sabarmati Ashram at the instance of the Mahatma. Malati Choudhury came in close contact with Nabakrushna Choudhuri who came from Sabarmati Ashram to study at Santiniketan. She married Nabakrushna Choudhuri in 1927.After marriage they settled down in Orissa and started various types of social activities regarding rural development. They helped poor farmer to improve sugarcane cultivation.


Malati Choudhury had organized the ‘Krusaka Andolana’ (Farmers Movement) as a part of the freedom struggle against the Zamindars, Landowners and Moneylenders, who were exploiting the poor. Malati Choudhury adopted to a completely different life style once she joined Rabindranath Tagore's Vishva-Bharati. In an article entitled ‘Reminiscences of Santiniketan’, her mother had written: “Malati was very happy and benefited much from her residence at Viswa-Bharati as a student.


Gandhiji affectionately called her `Tofanee`. In 1946 Malati Choudhury was selected as the member of Constituent Assembly of India. In 1988, she refused to receive the prestigious Jamnalal Bajaj Award from the hands of the Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, because, according to her, Rajiv Gandhi had not done anything to promote Gandhian values. She had lived an eventful life of ninety-three years. She took her last breathe on 15 march 1998.


17.Nabakrushna Choudhuri

Name:-Nabakrushna Choudhury
Chief Minister,Odisha-1950-1956
Date Of Birth:-23 November 1901
Birth Place:-Khersa,Jagatsinghpur,Odisha
Date Of Death:-24 June 1984(aged 82)

          Indian politician and activist Nabakrushna Choudhury was born on 23 november 1901 at Khersa village of Jagatsinghpur district,Odisha.He served as Chief Minister of the Indian state of Odisha.His father Gokulananda Choudhury was a great advocate.He was very fond of games and sports.He studied at Peary Mohan Academy and completed his matriculation at age of 14 and passed with good division.In 1917 he took admission in Ravenshaw college Cuttack.


          At that time his brother Gopabandhu Choudhury resigned from government service to serve people.That year Russia got victory by fighting against the oppessive king.That had deep influenced on him.So he left his graduation with Nityananda Kanungo.Lokanath Patnaik,Jadumani Mangaraj and Harekrushna Mahatab.In 1920 Lavana Satyagraha came and this was the response to Law enacted by British to disallow the people to get salt out of seawater in the coastal area of Gujarat and Odisha.In 1922 Mr. Choudhury got trained in Sawarmati Ashram and started serving for motherland.


          In 1925 he joined for his graduation degree again in Santiniketan to study at the feet of Rabindranath Tagore.During that time he came in contact with Malati Choudhury, whom he married later..After completing his graduation he joined with freedom movement.After marriage Nabakrushna Choudhury and Malati Choudhury went to Tarikund a village near Jagatsinghpur and worked on the land like a farmer.In 1928 the eldest daughter Uttara and in 1931 a son was born to him.By that time Gopabandhu Choudhury and his entire family were in the jail.All of them were transferred to Hazarivag jail.


          Nabababu came to Tarikund after released from Hazaribag jail.He created a small group within the congress and began editing and publishing a journal named 'Sarathi'.He was elected to the legislative assembly in the year 1937.Mr. Choudhury played a significant role for establishment of Rourkela Steel Plant and Hirakud Dam.In 1954 he had inaugurated Agriculture college at Bhubaneswar.In 1975 Mr. Choudhury participated in the "Sampurna Kranti Andolan" under the leadership of Sri Jayaprakash Narayan.He was not only a famous for his political career but also known for his integrity in public life.He took his last breathe on 24 June 1984 at Bajiraut hostel,Dhenkanal.

18.Nityananda Mohapatra
19.Parbati Giri

Name:-Parbati Giri
Date Of Birth:-19th January 1926
Birth Place:-Samalaipadar Village, Bargarh, Odisha
Date of Death:-

           Parbati Giri was born on 19th January, 1926 in Samlaipadar village, to Dhananjay Giri which lies close to Bijepur that corresponds to current-day Bargarh District and also undivided Sambalpur District.


           Parbati Giri was a freedom fighter and a person who uses action and strong words to support or oppose something for tribal rights. She was the daughter of Dhananjay Giri. Ramchandra Giri was her uncle who was closely connected with freedom fighters including Magiciana Behera, Bhagirathi Pattanayak, Durga Prasad Guru, Laxminarayan Mishra, Jambobati Pattnayak who was the wife of Bhagirathi Pattanayak.


           She received education till the third standard and then dropped out without being forced to do a series of actions to reach a goal for the Congress. She started her travels across more than two, but not a lot of villages for this purpose, series of actions to reach a goal forever for the Congress. In 1938, when she was 12, senior Congress leaders at a meeting in Samlaipadar requested her father to permit her to work for the Congress.


           He agreed, and Pabati was allowed to go to the Bari Ashram, in Jajpur, run by Rama Devi. The little girl travelled there without any signs of nervousness. She was accompanied by Prabhabati Devi, a child widow of Bargarh. In 1940 Parbati began travelling for the Congress to Bargarh, Sambalpur,Padampur, Panimara, Ghens and other places. She trained villagers in spinning and weaving khadi. From 1942 she campaigned for the Quit India Movement and was arrested many times, but at first as she was a minor the police had to release her.


           However when she stormed into the SDO`s office at Bargarh, sat in his chair and asked her comrades to bring the SDO towards her, bound in ropes. For this action, she was punished with two years rigorous imprisonment at Sambalpur Jail. In the year 1950, she finally finished her schooling from Prayag Mahila Vidyapitha, Allahabad after independence. Parbati Giri was just 16 when she was in the front lines of upset/shaking following Mahatma Gandhi's "Quit India" call. She continued to serve the nation socially after independence.


           She opened an orphanage at Paikmal village and gave/reserved rest of her life for the welfare of orphans. She was awarded a prize in the year 1984 by the Department of Social Welfare of the government of India.


20.Rama Devi

Name:-Rama Devi Choudhury
Date Of Birth:-3rd December 1899
Birth Place:-Satyabhamapur Village,Cuttack,Odisha
Date of Death:-22 July 1985(aged 85)

          An Indian freedom fighter and a social reformer Rama Devi Choudhury was took birth on 3rd december 1899 at Satyabhamapur village which is 20 kilometers distance from Cuttack.


          She was the daughter of Gopal Ballav Das who was the magistrate of Bihar province and Basant Manjari.She was also the niece of Utkal Gaurab Madhusudan Das.At the age of 15 she married Gopabandhu Choudhury,then they together joined the Indian independence movement in 1921.In 1952 along with her husband she travelled on foot about 4000 kilometers across the state to propagate the massage of gifting land and wealth to the landless and poor.


          She and her husband Gopabandhu Choudhury in the khadi movement 5 and became the staunch follower of Mahatma Gandhi.Practically she came in contact of Mahatma Gandhi,when he visited Odisha to attend the women's sammilani at the market complex of Binodhihari in Cuttack.She was the symbol of women pride,met the challenges posed by social rigidity and political instability.


          She was highly influenced by the three great ideals like,the Gandhian political ideology,kindness towards the destitute and the high standard of leadership of Utkal Gaurab Madhusudan Das.She helped set up the Utkal khadi Mandal and also established a Teacher's training centre and Balwadi at Ramchadrapur.She established a children's cancer hospital at Cuttack.


          After the independence of India,Rama Devi dedicated herself to the cause of Bhoodan and Gramdan movement of Acharya Vinod Bhave.She was arrested several times with other women independence activists like Sarala Devi,Malati Choudhury and others was sent to jail.She occupied a unique and unparalleled position playing an outstanding role in the freedom movement of the state.


          In recognition of her service to the nation,Rama Devi was honoured with the "Jamnalal Bajaj Award" on 4th November 1981 and the doctor of Philosophy by Utkal University on 16 April 1984.She was called "MAA" by the people of Odisha.She took her last brother on 18th Aug 1954.


21.Sarala Devi

Name-Sarala Devi Chaudhurani
Date Of Birth-9th September 1872
Birth Place-Kolkata,Bengal,British india
Date Of Death-18 August 1954

          Indian freedom fighter Sarala Devi was born on 9th september 1872 in Kolkata to a well known Bengali intellectual family.Her father Janakinath Ghosal was an important figure in the early years of congress movement and her mother Swarna Kumari was an active figure in the Bengali literary field and nationalist movement.


          Swarna Kumari was the daughter of 'Maharsi' Debendranath Tagore,a leading Brahmo leader and elder sister of legendary poet Rabindranath Tagore.She was educated at Bethune School and passed her B.A examination in English literature from Calcutta University and received the Padmavati Gold Medal.She was the first women political leader of her time and she was the leader of the anti-British movement as well.


          Sarala Devi married when she was 33 to Rambhuj Dutta Chaudhury who was a lawer-cum-journalist.After marriage, she went with him to punjab and carried on political activities there.After the Jallianwalla massacre,Mahatma Gandhi went to lahore,and was the guest of Sarala.Thus began a close friendship between them.Deepak Chaudhury the son of Sarala Devi was married with Grand daughter of Mahatma Gandhi.


          She was popularly called "Devi Chuadhurani" for her feminism and dynamism.Sarala Devi was a prolific writer,an inspiring singer,a political activist and a women leader.Though Rabindranath Tagore created the tune for the first two lines of "Bande Mataram".Sarala Devi was the rest music.Though the arrest of Sarala Devi was planned,it was not carred out because the British very well know that the arrest of women might have led to fress political complications.


          The three ideas she presented through her writings were,First one must not be afraid to die as our life was meant for courage,adventure and service to others,Second a person should have a strong and healthy body to lead a worthy life for regular exercise is a necessity,Third if the British insult one,one should take immediate action one self without for legal justice.Sarala Devi herself wrote numerous articles and songs and contributed to the excellence of the journal.Sarala Devi also composed good number of nationalistic songs.


22.Sarat Chandra Das
23.Subhas Chandra Bose

Name:-Subhas Chandra Bose
Date Of Birth:-23 january 1897
Birth Place:-Cuttack,Odisha
Date of Death:-XXXXX
Father:-Janaki Nath Bose
Mother:-Prabhavati Devi

          Subhas Chandra Bose affectionately called as Netaji was one of the conspicuous leader of Indian freedom struggle.He was born on 18th january 1897 at Cuttack,odisha.His father Janaki Nath Bose was a famous lawer and his mother Prabhavati Devi was a religious lady.Subhas Chandra Bose was the ninth child among the fourteen children.In 1902 he was admitted to the Protestan Europian School.In 1913 he got the second position in the matriculation.


          He passed B.A in 1918 in Philosophy with 1st class from Scottish Church College at University of Calcutta.To fulfill his parents wish he went to England in 1919 to complete for Indian civil service.In 1920 he appeared the Indian civil Service and ranked 4th among the six successful entrants.But he did not want to work under British government.So he resigned from his Civil Service job on 23 april 1921 and returned to India.


          He started a newspaper 'swaraj' and took charge of publicity of Bengal provincial congress committe.In 1928 Motilal Nehru committed appointed by the congress declared in favour in favour of sujection status, but Subhas Chandra Bose along with Jawaharla Nehru opposed it,and both insisted that they would be sartisfied with nothing short of complete indepence for India.Subhas Chandra Bose was arrested during civil disobedience movement in 1930.He was released in during 1931 after Gandhi-Irwin pact was signed.


          He was written the first part of the book "The Indian Struggle" which covered the country's independence movement in the year 1920-1934.Although it was published in London in 1935 the British govt. banned the book.He was elected congress president in 1938 and formed a new party all India forward block organised "Azad Hind Fauj" to dethrone British from India.In January 1941, Subhas Chandra Bose disappeared from his home in Calcutta and reached at Germany working on the maxim that "an energy's enemy is a friend".


          He shought cooperation of Germany and Japan against British empire.In july 1943, he arrived in singapore from Germany.In Singapore he took over the reins of Indian indipendence.Movement in east Asia from Rash Behari Bose and organised the Azad Hind Fauj comprising mainly of Indian captives of war, spoken as a part of motivational speech for the indian national army at the rally of Indian's in Burma on 4th july 1944.Bose's most famous quote was "Give me blood and i will give you freedom".


          In this he urged the people of India to join him in his fight against the British raj.At 2.30pm on 18 august 1945 he left for Dairen,Manchukuo but his plane crashed shortly after take off and Bose died within a few hours in Japanese military hospital.


24.Veer Surendra Sai

Name:-Veer Surendra Sai
Date Of Birth:-23 january 1809
Birth Place:-Kinda,Sambalpur,Odisha
Date Of Death:-23 may 1884(aged 75)
Father:-Dharma Singh

          Surendra sai was born on 23 January 1809 in a small town Kinda about 21 miles away from Sambalpur.Dharma Singh was the father of Surendra Sai who was the direct descendant from Madhukar Sai and therefore he was legally entitled to be crowned as king of Sambalpur after demise of king Maharaja Sai in 1827.


          King Maharaja Sai died without an heir.The British government allowed his widow Rani Mohan Kumari to succeed him.As a result of which disturbance broke out and conflict increase between the recognised ruler and other claimants for the throne of Sambalpur.Her land revenue policy did not satisfy the Gondi people and Binjhal tribal Zamindar.


          The British authorities removed Rani Mohan Kumari from power and put Narayan Singh,a descendant of royal family but born in a low caste as the king of Sambalpur.The British government ignored the claim of Surendra Sai.Surendra Sai and close associate create many disturbance and were captured and set to the Hazaribagh jail.


          In 1857 during the uprising of the sepoys set Surendra Sai and his brother Udyant Sai free.The resistance to British continued in Sambalpur under the leadership of Surendra Sai.In 1827 his revolution against the British commenced when he was only eighteen year and continued till 1862.


          He was finally arrested in 1864 a total period of 37 years.He suffered imprisonment in Hazaribagh jail for 17 years after his final arrest for another term of 20 years including his detention of 19 years in the remote Asirgafh hill fort till he breathed his last.


          In fast his glorious struggle after the suppression of the Indian revolution of 1857-58 against a vastly superior power for long four years is a unique achievement.Sambalpur was brought under the jurisdiction of newly created central provinces on the 30th April 1862.


          Veer Surendra Sai died on 23rd may 1884 in the prison of Asirgarh fort.But this valiant son of the soil would be remembered forever for his heroic activities.Thus by passing of time Veer Surendra Sai lives in his glory as a great martyr.


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