Murmu to attend 125th birth anniversary celebration of Harekrushna Mahtab on Thursday

New Delhi, President Droupadi Murmu is slated to attend an event here on Thursday to mark the 125th birth anniversary of former Odisha chief minister and ‘Utkal Keshari’ Harekrushna Mahtab.
A special commemorative stamp and a coin will be released at the event, an official statement said.
Born on November 21, 1899, in Agarpara in the then Bengal Presidency, Mahtab was a multifaceted leader who wore many hats freedom fighter, politician, historian, writer, social reformer and journalist.
“The inauguration of the 125th birth anniversary celebration of ‘Utkal Keshari’ Dr Harekrushna Mahtab will be held tomorrow at Vigyan Bhawan,” the Ministry of Culture said in a statement.
Murmu will be the chief guest on the occasion, it said.
Union Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister of Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, and Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi will be present during the event, the ministry said.
Member of Parliament from Cuttack and son of Hareukrushna Mahtab, Bhartruhari Mahtab will also be part of the programme honouring the impact and legacy of the ‘Lion of Odisha’, it added.
A special commemorative stamp and coin will be released on the occasion.
Sahitya Akademi, an autonomous organisation under the Ministry of Culture has prepared a monograph in Odia, an English translation of ‘Gaan Majlis’ and a Hindi translation of ‘Gaon Majlis’ for release during tomorrow’s programme, the ministry said.
Furthermore, an exhibition on his life and legacy has been put together which will also showcase the works of Odia artists, who have been in Delhi for the past few days, taking part in a national painting camp being organised by the Lalit Kala Akademi, the statement said.
Susmita Das will pay tribute to the rich history and culture of Odisha through a musical programme.
Mahtab was deeply influenced by figures like Swami Vivekananda, Ramkrishna Paramhansa and Mahatma Gandhi.
His political career began during his college years when he joined the freedom movement, participating actively in events such as the Non-Cooperation Movement and Salt Satyagraha, it said.
He was arrested multiple times for his activism and was instrumental in the integration of Odisha into the Union of India, the ministry said.
Mahtab was the last prime minister of the province of Orissa . And, later served as its chief minister in independent India.
The province of Bihar and Orissa was carved out of Bengal in 1912 and Orissa became a separate state in 1936. After independence, it became part of the Union of India and its name was changed to Odisha a few years ago.
Mahtab focused on Odisha’s industrialisation and advocated for the state’s economic development.
He was also a significant literary figure, writing extensively in both Odia and English and winning accolades for his work, including the historical account ‘History of Orissa’, and won the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1983 for ‘Gaon Majlis’.
He served as the Union minister for commerce and industry and was elected to the Lok Sabha unopposed in 1962. Mahtab is remembered for his strong will, determination, and influence, earning recognition as one of the state’s foremost leaders, the statement said.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.