Madhusudan_Das

188 Madhusudan Das:
filigree for which Cuttack was famous at one time. Here he spent quite a
fortune out of his own lean purse without least consideration of his self,
solely for the resuscitation of the nearly lost glories of a decaying
nationality.
Being the pioneer of the new-industrial movement in Orissa,
Madhusudan could well observe how huge quantities of raw hides were
being exported from India and that of Orissa, only to be sent back as
finished products to be sold in this country in a skyrocketing price. Thus,
in order to make his homeland self-dependent and to see his countrymen
economically sound, he founded a factory on 40 (forty) acres of land near
Cuttack Railway Station in the district of Cuttack in 1905. known as '
The Utkal Tannery', a noble enterprise and a great venture indeed. With
the help of modern mechanical appliances he made use of the lizard and
crocodile skins to manufacture lovely leather products and that too for
the first time in India. As such this tannery became unique in its kind and
its products excelled in qualities than those of other countries. Soon it
also captured the American and European markets and even the durability
of these products commended the use of boots made in this factory to the
soldiers during the First World War. In achieving all these success.
Madhusudan had to combine efficiency with charity. He never neglected
the workers of this factory who toiled hard to make this venture a success.
Instead, the workers were well treated and many of them were criminals
with records of previous convictions, whom Madhusudan was sincerely
trying to reform. His sacrifices and efforts in the domains of this industry
were Herculean. He raised in to the pinnacle of efficiency though financial
disasters broke the back of this tannery within three decades of its start.
Still then it is to the great credit of Madhusudan that he had given a great
impetus to the people of Orissa for development of such ideal industries.
The Government of Bihar and Orissa in its report of 1921 quotes: "The
Utkal Tannery is the pioneer of modern tanning and leather goods
manufacture in the Provinces of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa and has incurred
considerable expense in early experiments in training experts and
labour..."
Thus Madhusudan went far ahead in reviving the economic
prosperity of Orissa which had been ruined due to the high-handed policies
of the British Colonial rule. But this was not all. Two years before the call
for swadeshi movement was given, it was Madhusudan, who had come
out to organize an association to develop indigenous industries in Orissa,