Gopabandhu das real photo
Biography of a great freedom fighter from Odisha - Utkalmani Gopabandhu Das
Posted Date: 06 Oct |Updated: Oct|Category: General|Author: Jagdish Patro|Member Level: Gold|Points: 50|
The Oriya speaking people of the land of Lord Jagannath are well known for their patriotism, cultural unity and harmony with other linguistic and religious communities.
This land has produced several personalities who dedicated their lives for the cause of the Mother India. Gopabandhu Das, the 'Jewel of Orissa' (Utkal Mani) was one among them. A brief sketch of this great patriot is portrayed here.
Introduction
Gopabandhu das was freedom fighter, educationist, poet and a social reformer.He championed for the cause of statehood of Orissa (now Odisha) and fought to bring the Oriya speaking people in the Madras, Bengal and Bihar states into one fold to secure their rights and privileges. His Oratory skills, excellent clarity of thought and concern for the poor made him to lead the people of Orissa during Freedom struggle who honoured him with the title "Utkalmani" (the jewel of Orissa).
Early life
Born on 9th October in a small village called Suando near Puri, situated on the bank of river Bhargavi, Gopabandhu Das belongs to an orthodox Brahmin community.His parents were Daitari Das and Swarnamayee Devi. His father, a Mukhtiar (Village Headman) by profession brought him up. He completed his schooling in his native village and studied his higher secondary education at Puri. As child marriages were prevalent those days, he married a young girl Apti at his age of Even then, his education was not hampered.
He was graduated from the famous Ravensha College, Cuttack and obtained his B.A degree in Later he shifted to Calcutta to study M.A and Law and got both the degrees from Calcutta University.
The schooling at Puri found in Gopabandhu his organising capabilities of meetings and societies and this work generated in him an element of leadership and created abilities for team work.
His initiative to help the victims of dreaded disease cholera which out broke in the holy city of Puri, led young Gopabandhu to form a voluntary corps 'Puri Seva Samiti'. Their volunteers helped the victims and cremated the mortal remains of the deceased. His humanitarian approach could be discovered by many at this very young age and laid foundation stones for his great service to the Utkal samaj in the later years.
He first joined as a teacher in Nilagiri and later preferred to practice law at Puri and Cuttack.
After serving as government lawyer in Mayurbhanj court for some time, he did quit the Law profession to work for the welfare of the people.
His bondage with education
He always believed that education was the only medium for the furtherance and development of a society. With this high spirited thinking, he ventured a school at Satyabdi on 12th August beginning with only 19 students.Thus Gopabandhu Das became a pioneer to the growth of education and society of Orissa. Very soon it became a High school in and was affiliated to Calcutta University in and got affiliation from Patna University in the year In it became a National School in Many educationists compare it with that of Ujjain and Nalanda.
While pursuing his studies at Calcutta, he strived hard for to bring unity among the Oriya speaking people.
He made them understand how to live together with peaceful co-existence with mutual trust. His principles of unity and sharing of the problems through cooperative living paved way to open night schools to teach the Oriya coolies and cooks living at Calcutta. He strongly propagated for women empowerment and women education. According to him in an article published in 'Nari Siksha', a society would never move forward if it neglects its women folk and their development.
He was reluctant entrant into politics but became a member of Vidhan Sabha (state assembly) of Bihar and Orissa from to under compulsion.
He criticized the Government for its inaction to come for the rescue of the people at the time of natural calamities. Gopabandhu devoted his time and energy sincerely as a Legislator and was successful in dealing with the following major problems:
- Integrating Oriya speaking tracts of Bengal, Central Province, Madras and Bihar and Orissa under one common administration,
- To take effective measures for eradication of flood and famine in Orissa
- Restoration of Oriya's right to manufacture salt free from excise duty, and
- Promoting education across Orissa on Satyabadi model.
Courses of MA in English and B.L.
classes were opened at Ravenshaw College and an Engineering School at Cuttack and a Sanskrit College at Puri were opened at his instance. He ensured provision of filtered drinking water supply at Puri to help the pilgrims. He also contributed for the revival of the moribund cottage industries in Orissa.
Pt. Gopabandhu Das(Courtesy:)
Association with Gandhiji and involvement in freedom struggle
The struggle for independence launched by Mahatma Gandhi fired his imagination in Gopabandhu as he was already implementing all the steps that were given by Gandhi.Gandhi identified Gopabandhu as one of the key personalities from the region of Orissa province who can challenge the authority of the British. He was an invitee for the Congress plenary sessions held at Lucknow in and at Calcutta in The formation Oriya Labour organisation at Calcutta drew huge crowds to fight for the cause of the Nation. He served as the President of Orissa congress committee from to He made a massive campaign by name "Asahajog Andolan" in which played an important role in the Freedom Struggle in the region.
He was imprisoned in Hazirabagh jail during for participating in the freedom movement.
Association with Lala Lajpat Rai
Lala Lajpat Rai was another personality who influenced him and the affinity turned into a strong bondage when he met him for the first time in the special session of the Congress in September The aim of servants of the people society and the Hindu Mahasabha were well explained by Lalaji during his visit to Puri and he successfully persuaded Gopabandhu to join servants of the people society.Utkalmani gopabandhu das biography examples pdf: He laid stress on language as the foundation of unity. He initially accepted a role editing Asha , a newspaper published in Berhampur , but found it to be too constraining. Brahmananda Satapathy, a professor of political science, has said of Das that "His crusade against untouchability, advocacy of widow remarriage, campaign for literacy, new model of education, stress on both rights and duties, emphasis on women education, particularly vocational training and above all a deep commitment and compassion for poor and destitutes have immortalised him in Orissa and India". Gopabandhu bacame the Secretary of the school.
Thus the news paper by name 'The Samaj', published by Gopabandhu indirectly promoted the society. The society extended the relief operations to Orissa and Orissa Relief Fund was established. In April, , he became All India Vice-President of the society.
As a journalist
The people of Odisha consider him as the Father of Journalism in the state.He worked as Editor for a news daily Asha published from Berhampur. Firstly he started a monthly magazine named "Satyabadi" in the year He started the weekly newspaper "Samaj" on 4th October first published from Sakshi Gopal and used to write the editorial of "Samaj" without any break till his death.
Utkalmani gopabandhu das biography examples in tamil Gopabandhu Das was also a prolific writer and poet, using his literary talents to inspire and mobilize the masses. Further, the day he got the news of his success in Law Examination, Calcutta, his wife died. Contents move to sidebar hide. The students were taught the values of secularism,nationalism and idealism.He took part in the "Bharatiya Loksevak Mandal" in the year and served as the vice-president of "Bharatiya Loksevak Mandal". He was associated with the works of Utkal Samilani from to He was the President of Utkal Samilani in but after taking part in the struggle for independence, most of his time was spent in the works of National Congress.
Gopabandhu as writer and philosopher
He believed that "pen is mightier than the sword". He was a prolific writer and poet.Utkalmani gopabandhu das biography examples As an educationist, Gopabandhu realised that without education, people would not be conscious of their freedom and duty towards nation. Through this he was able to indulge his childhood aspirations to be a poet, while contributions also came from other members of the school's staff, including Nilakantha Das and Godabarish Mishra. The school was a residential community and the participants spent all of their time with one another attending classes and creating an atmosphere of community. Gopabandhu Das.His poems "Ma Ra Kabita ", "Dharmapada" and "Bandi Ra Atma Katha" were the epitome of the classical nature of rhythm which gave the message of spirituality, patriotism, truth and non-violence. His poems were lucid and thought provoking. His writings became path finder for modern thinking and bringing in the cultural unity among the nationals.
His editorials in Samaj, Satyabadi and Ganakabi always marked a refined way of solution to the problems related to socialism, culture and politics.
He was a great philosopher too. He lost his wife at an early age of 28 but never inclined to get remarried. He kept himself aloof to the worldly affairs. He was attending to flood victims when his elder son was at death bed.
His two daughters were taken care by his elder brother. His major objective was to serve for the country during the natural calamities.
Utkalmani gopabandhu das biography examples in hindi He ignored the serious illness of his son and went to the flood affected people to provide them relief. Retrieved 28 March B while simultaneously devoting much of his energies in attempts to improve the education of Oriya people who were living in the city, for whom he opened night schools. Demonstrating academic brilliance, he continued his education at Ravenshaw College in Cuttack, where he earned a degree in Arts.He believed in the fact that serving the people was nothing but serving the God.
Wrap up
While attending society's meeting at Lahore, he fell seriously ill which was beyond recovery. His illustrious life came to an end on 17th July Incidentally, it was the day on which Car-seva of Lord Jagnnath started on the eve of Rath Yaatra.The father of modern Utkal died at the age of fifty-one, yet his memory remains in the hearts of millions of people. His great statue at Puri was unveiled on 8th May by Mahatma Gandhi during his Padyaatra in Odisha. Gandhi praised him that he was a great man who always dreamt of the development of agriculture, cottage industries, khadi and dairy farms to eradicate poverty in the state.
He sacrificed his life for the betterment of the human beings. Really, he might be the gem of the crown of the Oriya speaking community but one of the true jewels of India.
His biography is an example as to how a common man can be remembered for ever with his deeds by means of true devotion and sincerity for the cause of the poor and needy. He was the beloved son of the Land of Lord Jagannath. Let us pay a great tribute to the Son of the Indian soil!