Utkalmani Gopabandhu Das

Utkalmani Gopabandhu Das

Born: 9th October 1877
Died: 17th June 1928

Shri Utkalmani Gopabandhu Das was born on 9th October 1877, to Swarnamayee Devi and Daitari Dash at Suando village in Puri. He got married at the age of 12 while studying and completed his primary education in the village school. Later he joined the middle vernacular school at a nearby village, Rupadeipur, and later joined Puri Zilla School. In 1904, he completed his graduation in BA from Ravenshaw College, Cuttack, and acquired BL, LLB degree from Calcutta University in 1906.

Gopabandhu was a great social reformer and precursor of a new social society. His battle against untouchability, a new model of education, widow remarriage, literacy, emphasis on both rights and duties, on women education had a great impact on people of Odisha. His good deeds and deep commitment and compassion towards the poor and needy have preserved him in the hearts of the people of Odisha and India. During the flood crises, he rushed to the flood-affected areas without any delay to provide relief and rescue people. Even though his son was ill, he rushed ignoring his ailing son, and said “Lord Jagannath will take care of my son”. His first experience in public service was during his school when Cholera broke out during Rath Yatra, and he united his friends to form Puri Seva Samiti. In the stream of Journalism, on October 4th 1919, Gopabandhu Das started the weekly newspaper ‘Samaj’ which has been a ruling daily newspaper of Odisha. ‘Satyabadi’ was another monthly magazine published before ‘Samaj’ in 1914. Gopabandhu Das was also a renowned writer and poet.‘Dharmapada’ and ‘Kara Kabita are some of his well-known poems. He believed that people would not be aware of their rights, their freedom, and their duty towards the nation without education. Gopabandhu became the secretary of a school that was established at Satyabadi in Puri. During 1917-1920 Gopabandhu remained a member of the Old Bihar and Orissa Legislative Council. He was the first leader to organize the Orissa Provincial Committee. In 1921, he brought Gandhiji to Odisha after becoming the first president of the Congress party, Odisha. Swami Vivekanand Subharti University on his death anniversary remembers a legendary freedom fighter, for his great deeds and innumerable sacrifices.

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