Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday unveiled the Hindi translation of the book ‘Odisha Itihaas’ authored by legendary Utkal Keshari Dr Harekrushna Mahtab.
The book was released at the Ambedkar International Centre, Janpath, New Delhi, in the presence of Union Petroleum & Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Cuttack BJD MP and Dr Mahtab’s son Bhartruhari Mahtab.
Speaking about Odisha and the book, Modi said, “Odisha is the complete picture of the country’s cultural diversity. One can know the State by reading the book ‘Odisha Itihass’.” He praised Dr Harekrushna Mahatab for his contributions to the State as well as to the country. “During Emergency, Dr Harekrushna Mahatab had opposed the party from which he was (once) elected as the CM of Odisha and went to jail.
I had visited Odisha to meet him after Emergency. He was a rare leader who went to jail to save democracy,” Modi further said. The ‘Odisha Itihaas’ that was available in Odia and English so far has been translated into Hindi by Shankarlal Purohit.