Madhusudan_Das

His Life and Achievements: 109
Madhusudan realised that the political development of the Oriyas
would be impossible, if different Oriya speaking tracts remained
scattered as appendages to other provinces. Therefore with a view to
unifying the Oriya-speaking areas he founded the 'Utkal Union
Conference' in 1903. This Conference was a common national forum
for all irrespective of caste and creed. In his stirring addresses at different
sessions, Madhusudan sought to rouse national consciousness of Oriyas.
Though Madhusudan died in 1934, it was mainly due to his initial
efforts that Orissa as a separate political entity was born in 1936.
He visited England twice, and on each occasion he placed the case
of India and Orissa forcefully before the British public.
Under the Montagu-Chelmsford Reform, Lord Sinha, the
Governor of Bihar and Orissa, appointed Madhusudan Das as the
Minister of Health, Local Self-Government and P.W.D. As Minister,
he was the author of the Bihar and Orissa Municipal and L.S.G. Acts,
which gave full freedom and responsibility to the wholly elected
Municipalities and Local bodies for the first time in India. After working
for some time as a Minister, Madhusudan felt that as Minister incharge
of Municipalities and Local Bodies of which the Chairmen and
Vice-chairmen were all honorary, he should not be salaried servant
of the Government. He insisted, therefore, that he should be allowed
to work in an honorary capacity as a Minister. This was not agreed
to and he resigned from the office, which was a great sacrifice in
those days. As it was in the case of all liberal leaders of those days,
Madhusudan had no faith in the non-cooperation movement initiated
by Gandhiji. With the progress of this movement and consequent decline
of the liberal politics in India, Madhusudan also gradually went to
the background. Madhusudan died on 3 February 1934.
Madhusudan was an advocate of social reforms. Against caste
system he wrote, "Give up the variety of castes and merge yourself
in the sea of nation". Female education, he said, was indispensable
for a nation, for women "are indeed the springs which swell the lifeblood
of a nation". At his inspiration, his adopted daughter Shailabala
started a widow training centre at Cuttack. Madhusudan was in favour
of the rapid spread of Western education. The first Girl's High School
was started in 1908 in Orissa by his adopted daughter, at his instance.
Madhusudan was inspired by two cardinal virtues of Christianityhumility
and forgiveness. Though a Christian, he believed in the
essential equality of all religions.