Gopabandhu Das

 Pandit Gopabandhu Das was one of the great men who dedicated their entire lives for the overall development of the Oriya race.  He filled every Orthodox soul with patriotism, nationalism and language.  Gopabandhu Das is known as Utkalmani.  He was the epitome of service and sacrifice.

Childhood and Education:-- Gopabandhu Das was born on 9th October 1877 in Suando village of Puri district.  Father's name is Daitari Das and mother's name is swarnmayi Devi.  He had lost his mother since childhood.  That is why Dads Sister ​Kamala took charge of his upbringing.  His education started from the primary school of the village.Gopabandhu married Moti Devi at the age of 12.  He completed his Matriculation from Puri Zila School and BA from Revensa College, Cuttack.  Passed.  After that he went to Calcutta to study law and passed Law in 1906 and returned to Odisha.

Career: Gopbandhu started service work from his student life. Formed "Puri Seva Samiti" and engaged in services for people suffering from cholera, environmental protection and cremation. During his studies in Cuttack, he formed the 'Kartabya Bodhuni Samiti' and worked for the protection of the Odiya language. His main duty was to serve the people affected by flood, drought and cholera. He was distressed by the suffering of the people. During the flood, he left his only son on the sick bed and went to see the suffering of thousands of people in the flood affected area.

        By the time he returned home, his son had passed away.  Such selfless service is an example for the entire human race.  In 1909, Gopabandhu established Satya Wadi Bana Vidyalya School with only 19 students.  From 1911 to 1914 Pandit Nilakantha Das, Acharya Harihar Das, Pandit Godabarish Mishra and krupasindhu Mishra joined the institute as teachers.  Here education and various vocational courses were imparted and the students were inspired with national consciousness.  On 4th October 1919, he published the 'Weekly Newspaper The Samaja .  He was imprisoned in 1922 for reporting on the abuses of the britesh government.  After his release from prison in 1924, eminent scientist Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy addressed him as 'Utkalmani'. 

Political life:-- In 1903, Utkal Samilani was invited by Madhusudan Das  Gopbandhu actively participated in the conference.  Gopbandhu was elected as a member of the Bihar-Odisha Legislative Assembly from 1917 to 1921.  In 1921, Gopbandhu Das became the first chairman of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee.