Madhusudan_Das

84 Madhusudan Das :
greatly surprised and pleased to see me studying for the B.A. with Miss
Samuels. At this time I was in indifferent health. While I was sitting
for my examination on the third day I completely collapsed and had to
be carried away from the hall. After this I did not attempt it a second
time. Though my college education practicallyy ended here, my real
education began in Mr. Das Library. Here I met various classes of
people, heard heated discussions on religion, politics, social, industrial,
educational and economical problems. Thus I imbibed unconsciously
all Mr. Das's ideas, and enjoyed the unique privilege in my girlhood of
coming in contact with a unique man.
UTKAL UNION CONFERENCE
In 1903 my father left Congress as he found that unless the
National Congress took up Orissa matters, it would not be fair for
Orissa to join it. As the people of Orissa were very backward in those
days and there was no national life, he started the Utkal Union
Conference. The father of the present Maharaja of Mayurbhanj, Sri
Ram Chandra Bhanja Deo was the President and other Feudatory
Chiefs were all present. A large executive Committee was formed and
I was one of the members. The officials and non-officials of Cuttack
took great interest in this. Just a week before the meeting the then
Commissioner of Orissa sent round a Circular asking Government
officers not to join this Conference. This news staggered the members
of the Executive Committee as this would prevent all the Feudatory
Chiefs and Government officers from attending the Conference. The
Commissioner came to see me and I being a blunt woman always
ask blunt questions. So I asked the Commissioner why he had sent
round such a circular, as the Conference was meant to deal with Social
and educational matters only and his circular would harm the
Conference a great deal." He told me "You are a little girl and you
must not discuss this subject with me as my lips are sealed."
After he left my house I went down to the Committee meeting
which was being held in our house and told them what the
Commissioner had said. My father sent a long telegram to the
Governor of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa regarding this matter. Three
days after, the Commissioner wanted to see my father badly. My father
went to him and he showed my father a letter from the then Chief
Secretary which was asked to be read out to my father. The contents