MY KOLKATA EDUGRAPH
ADVERTISEMENT
Regular-article-logo Saturday, 19 July 2025

Election code delays Madhu babu statue

Read more below

OUR BUREAU Published 29.04.14, 12:00 AM

Bhubaneswar, April 28: The model code of conduct for polls has come in the way of installation of a statue of Utkal Gourav Madhusudan Das, whose 166th birth anniversary was observed across the state today.

Born on April 28, 1848, at Satyabhamapur village in Cuttack district, Das was the first Odia graduate and postgraduate and is described as the Grand Odia patriarch. Popularly known Madhu barrister, the eminent lawyer had led the movement for a separate Odisha province. He had also laid the foundation of industrialisation in Odisha by setting up Utkal Tannery.

Though memorial meetings were held across the state, including his birthplace Satyabhamapur and Cuttack, where he worked, a plan to install his statue in Puri could not materialise. Sources said the statue would be installed after the elections. The plan is to erect a 10ft statue of the legal luminary.

In Bhubaneswar, members of Utkal Sammilani, an organisation founded by him to espouse the cause of Odias, and leaders of various political parties garlanded his statue near Raj Bhavan. The political leaders described him as “the symbol of Odia pride” and “maker of modern Odisha”.

At Cuttack, where Madhu babu spent the most part of his life, the anniversary was observed with much fervour. At a function, eminent personalities, school students and members of Utkal Sammilani paid floral tributes to the legendary leader at his tombstone in Gorakabar.

A painting exhibition was organised at Madhusudan museum near Shailabala Women’s College to mark the occasion. Students from various schools in the city visited the museum near Shailabala Women’s College on the occasion.

A painting competition and blood donation camp were organised at Union Club that was earlier set up by Das. A new statue of Madhu babu was unveiled on Saturday on the club premises.

Aptly, the members of legal community throughout the state observed the birth anniversary of the legal luminary as Lawyers’ Day.

A meeting of the High Court Bar Association was held in Cuttack where senior lawyers highlighted the multifaceted personality of Das, who has been a source of inspiration for lawyers.

At meeting of the Bhubaneswar Bar Association and the Bar Council of Odisha, Justice Indrajit Mohanty and advocate-general Ashok Mohanty recalled the contributions of Das. The meeting was presided over by bar council chairman Gopal Krishna Mohanty. They gave examples of Madhu babu’s sheer excellence in this noble profession and his attempt to help the downtrodden.

Five advocates of the Bhubaneswar Bar Association were felicitated on the occasion. Besides, an advocate from Bhubaneswar was awarded the Madhu Samman and one advocate from Balangir Bar Association was awarded the Madhu Jyoti.

Follow us on:
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT