A high relief mural sculpture commemorating 100 years of Mahatma Gandhi’s first visit to Odisha’s Silver City Cuttack was unveiled on the occasion of Utkal Divas on Thursday.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik unveiled the bronze sculpture featuring Mahatma Gandhi addressing his followers in a public meeting with his wife Kasturba and social reformers Gopabandhu Das, Pandit Nilakantha Das and Acharya Harihar Das in attendance at Belleview Square on Kathajodi riverbed in Cuttack city.The Government has started celebrating 100 years of Gandhi’s visit to Odisha since March 23. During his first visit to the State, Gandhi had addressed a grand and historic public meeting on the riverbed of Kathajodi in Cuttack.

The mural has been installed at the place in memory of the event.Gandhi had visited Odisha eight times between 1921 and 1946 and had travelled to many parts of the State during the period. “Mahatma Gandhi was a strong supporter for formation of Odisha as a separate statehood.

The ideologies of two legends of 20th century, Gandhi and Gopabandhu, will inspire today’s generation,” the Chief Minister said after unveiling the mural sculpture. “Truth and nonviolence is India’s greatest contribution to the world. As the worshipper of nonviolence, Mahatma Gandhi has given a new direction to whole world and its relevance is now being realised worldwide,” he said in a statement.

Earlier in the day, Patnaik had paid his rich tribute to Utkalmani Gopabandhu Das by inaugurating a statue of the legendary leader at Cantonment Road on Utkal Divas in Cuttack. “The name ‘Gopabandhu’ always comes first in mind when we speak about humanity, service and kindness.

He is the source of inspiration and symbol of humanity. This ‘Statue of Humanity’ will encourage people for service to poor for ages,” Patnaik said in a release.