Article Title: Utkalmani Pandit Gopabandhu Das
09-10-2022
History & Art and Culture Prelims Plus
Why is in news? President Droupadi Murmu pays homage to Utkalmani Pandit Gopabandhu Das on his birth anniversary
Gopabandhu Das (1877–1928), popularly known as Utkalamani (Jewel of Utkal or Odisha), was a social worker, reformer, political activist, journalist, poet and essayist.
He was actively participated in the Non-Cooperation Movement.
Gopabandhu Das was born on 9 October 1877 in Suando village, near Puri, Odisha in a Brahmin family. His parents - Daitari Dash, Swarnamayee Devi.
Giving up on his rewarding practice at bar, Gopabandhu Das dedicated himself to the cause of freedom, besides working for social reform.
He was the first president of the Congress party in Odisha.
Subhash Chandra Bose referred to him as the father of the National movement in Odisha.
He began Puri Seva Samiti, a voluntary organization that helped cholera victims.
Later, this led to the setting up of a separate hospital in the district for the victims.
He founded the Odia newspaper Samaja in 1919 to highlight the problems of masses and to spearhead national independence movement in Odisha. The newspaper propagated Gandhian ideologies.
He founded a monthly magazine Satyabadi in 1915.
Das had been persuaded to join the Lok Sevak Mandal (Servants of the People Society) sometime after meeting Lala Lajpat Rai at a session of Congress in 1920 and the newspaper became a means of promoting it, although operated independently.
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