The Odisha State Paika Akhada Mahasangha on Sunday expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for their support to establish a memorial for the Paika Rebellion of 1817.
The organisation held a Paika women rally on the day with hundreds of women taking part in it wearing traditional Paika attires, beating drums and raising sticks and swords to demonstrate the Paika tradition.
It has been learnt that the Union Government has sanctioned Rs 190 crore through the Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) and the State Government has provided 10 acres of land worth Rs 32 crore free of cost at the Barunei Hill to establish the memorial.
The rally was organised under the leadership of Akhada Mahasangha general secretary Dr Dillip Srichandan and chairman Dr Prakash Srichandan. Dr Prakash was conferred with Paika Maudamani award.
