Cuttack, April 28: The Odisha State Bar Council today announced that they would set up an advocate's academy in the name of Madhusudan Das, who spent most of his life in this city.

The bar council, along with constituent bar associations, today organised a state-level Lawyers Day at Saheed Bhavan to mark the 168th birth anniversary of Das.

The bar council has been observing the birth anniversary of Madhu babu as Lawyers' Day since 1998.

Bar council chairman Manas Ranjan Mohapatra said: "The academy will be named as Madhusudan Das Advocates' Academy." While contributing a personal donation of Rs 11 lakh to the secretary of the council for the project, Mohapatra urged the government to give financial assistance to set up the academy.

On the occasion, the Chief Justice of Orissa High Court, Justice Vineet Saran, described Madhu babu as "a shining star of the state," a "legendary Odia lawyer in the British era," a "messiah of the downtrodden" and a "crusader of human rights and values."

Saran said: "I have a portrait of Utkal Gaurav Madhusudan Das in my chamber in the high court and I pay respect to him every day."

Bar Council of India chairman Manan Kumar Mishra, who was the guest of honour, described Madhu babu as "a great legal giant". Veteran lawyers Bijon Bihari Ray and Jaya Chandra Patro were honoured with Madhu Jyoti Award and Madhu Samman Award respectively on the occasion.