The Utkal Sammilani observed the birth anniversary of Veer Surendra Sai and held a felicitation ceremony here on Thursday. Attending the programme, senior journalist Prdosh Patnaik made a comparison between Nelson Mandela and Veer Surendra Sai. He said while Mandela had been recognized as an eminent leader after only 27 years of his imprisonment, Sai’s sacrifices and contributions to the freedom struggle in the State are yet to be recognised properly as history has not covered them adequately. He called for rewriting of history on the great hero of the State, who never bowed before the mighty British force.