Madhusudan_Das

136 Madhusudan Das:
Association' at Balasore came into existence and Madhu Babu reactivised
these two organisations as the true instruments to voice the demands or
Orissa. In 1885 the Indian National Congress was started and in 1886
'Utkal Sabha' decided to send its representatives to attend the Congress
session Madhu Babu also started Oriya Graduates Association to awaken
the educated youth of Orissa and to create a sense of new awareness in
them The Utkal Hinduism Samaj of Parlakhemidi was started by Pattayat
Padmanabha Dev in 1901 to keep the Oriyas united culturally and
emotionally.
In 1001-02 the Ganjam Jatiya Sabha came into being at the
Khallikote palace. I hen in 1903 came the great Utkal Sammilani which
secured the fulfilment of the aspirations of the people of Orissa tor a
separate province under the leadership and guidance of Madhusudan.
GOPABANDHU DAS
When Madhusudan began his struggle lor the formation of separate
Orissa province by amalgamation of the Oriya speaking areas, he had
many Rajas. Maharajas lawyers and other supporters. But he was looking
for a dedicated and sincere patriot and friend who would unburden him at
the time of great stress and strain. Pandit Gopabandhu Das filled up this
vacuum in his life as the true representative and fnend of the common
people of Orissa whose language he spoke and whose message he carried
in his bosoms. Born in 1877 in an orthodox Brahmin family in Suando
Village of Puri district Gopabandhu knew what was the proverbal poverty
of the Village of Orissa and also he knew how to help those poor people
and to give cheers to them and to show them the path of light in the
darkness of illiteracy. Gopabandhu passed Entrance Examination in 1899
and received his B.A. degree 1904 and in 1906 got his B.L. degree. By
this time Madhusudan was renowned lawyer and an accredited leader of
Orissa and Oriya movement. He attracted Gopabandhu — the young law
graduate who had the zeal and mind to serve the cause of Orissa and her
people. Gopabandhu though had great respect and regard for Madhu
Babu and responded to his call. he had also his own way of serving the
people. He started certain unique social service organizations, through
which he served the people in distress and spread literacy and learning
among the people. In 1906 he started the Central Young Utkal Association
in the Ravenshaw College. Cuttack with the Principal as the Ex-officio
President and he himself (Pandit Gopabandhu) as the General Secretary.
In 1907 when large parts of Kendrapara and jaipur areas were submerged