The 165th birth anniversary of Utkal Gaurab Madhusudan Das, the architect of modern Odisha, was observed in the city. Speaker Pradip Amat and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik along with many of his Cabinet colleagues garlanded the statue of Madhubabu on the premises of the State Assembly. later, Patnaik participated in a function organised near the Raj Bhavan and urged the gathering to follow Madhubabu’s footsteps.
“We all should follow the footsteps of Madhubabu who sacrificed his whole life for the welfare of the State and its people,” said Patnaik. “The strenuous efforts of Madhubabu in forming separate Odisha State on the basis of language and his illustrious career as a lawyer is commendable,” said Amat.
The Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) observed the birth anniversary of the Utkal Gaurab here at the Congress Bhawan.
A team of Congress leaders on Sunday morning headed by party vice-president Sivananda Ray garlanded the statue of Madhubabu at the Raj Bhavan Square. PCC vice-presidents Sabitri Sahu and Gurupad Nanda spoke. Nanda opined that the State should set up a shoe factory of international repute.
He also called upon the youth to emulate Madhubabu to make Odisha strong. Among others, senior Congress leaders Umesh Swain, Arayakumar Jnanendra and Suresh Kumar Rautray were present.
Similarly, BJP State president KV Singh Deo, senior leaders Biswabhusan Harichandan and Manmohan Samal along with other party leaders observed the day by garlanding the statue of Utkal Gaurab near the Raj Bhawan.
Born on April 28, 1848, Madhusudan Das is regarded as the ‘founding father of modern Odisha’.
He spent all his wealth for the sake of the State and declared himself as bankrupt while Mahatma Gandhi described him as a great Indian patriot.