President Murmu Unveils Utkalmani Gopabandhu Das Statue in Delhi
New Delhi: In a historic tribute to one of Odisha’s greatest sons, President Droupadi Murmu on Monday unveiled the statue of Utkalmani Pandit Gopabandhu Das at the Lajpat Bhavan premises in New Delhi. The installation is the first-ever statue of an eminent Odia personality to be erected in the national capital.
On the occasion, the President also paid floral tributes to the statue of Punjab Kesari Lala Lajpat Rai, founder of the Lok Sevak Mandal. The ceremony was attended by Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram, Union Education Minister and Sambalpur MP Dharmendra Pradhan, Lok Sevak Mandal President Rajkumar, Vice-President Deepak Malaviya, Secretary Ramanath Jha, Treasurer and The Samaja publisher Rajendra Kumar Jena, along with several dignitaries.
Describing the event as a historic and proud moment, Jual Oram said the installation of Gopabandhu Das’ statue reflects Odisha’s rich legacy of public service, nationalism and commitment to social welfare.
Dharmendra Pradhan said the lives and ideals of Utkalmani Gopabandhu Das and Lala Lajpat Rai continue to inspire the nation through their dedication to public service, sacrifice, education and patriotism. He noted that their values remain a guiding force in India’s journey towards becoming a developed nation.
Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi hailed Gopabandhu Das as a legendary figure whose contributions to education, literature, journalism, social service and the freedom movement will continue to inspire generations.
The unveiling ceremony witnessed enthusiastic participation from members of the Odia diaspora, who gathered in large numbers to witness the historic occasion. Several Members of Parliament, including Baijayant Panda, Saptagiri Ulaka, Rabindra Narayan Behera, Manas Ranjan Mangaraj, Dr. Sasmit Patra, Debashish Samantaray, Sujit Kumar and Sulata Deo, were among those present. Senior journalists, administrators, lawyers, artists, writers, social workers and members of Gopabandhu Das’ family also attended the event.
Lok Sevak Mandal President Rajkumar said the statue would help introduce Gopabandhu Das and his ideals to a wider national audience. He described the Utkalmani as a great patriot, humanitarian and champion of the poor whose legacy continues to inspire people across the country.
The bronze-copper statue, weighing around 52 kilograms, was sculpted by noted artist Ravi Narayan Rath under the guidance of Lok Sevak Mandal. The sculptor said the artwork was created to honour the enduring legacy of the iconic freedom fighter and social reformer.