ROYAL FAMILY
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Gourachandra Gajapati Narayan Deo (2nd): Father of Sri Krushna Chandra Gajapati Narayan Deo. He had established many Schools
for the spread for education. Constructed Railway line from Paralakhemundi
to Naupada (now in Andhra Pradesh).
For his able leadership and a good ruler, the British Government
had conferred him with K.C.I.E. |
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The
sleepy town of Paralakhemundi made its tryst with history in the ‘30s when
Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati lead the movement for the formation of
Orissa. Maharaja Krushna Chandra
Gajapati Narayan Deo, the scion of the great Ganga Dynasty of
Paralakhemundi, belongs to both the leagues. An illustrious son of modern India, he
played a significant role in the formation of Orissa as a separate
state.
He
was born on April 26, 1892. At the
age of 12, his father, Goura Chandra Gajapati Narayan Deo, died and as Krushna
Chandra Gajapati was still a minor, the Paralakhemundi
zamindari passed into the hands of the Court of Wards for
administration.
The
young and enthusiastic Krushna Chandra Gajapati received his elementary
education in the local Maharaja High School. After, finishing school, he entered the
Newington residential College at Madras. In the college, his mentor and guardian
tutor Mr. Cameron Morrison, had an indelible influence on his
life.
He
returned to Paralakhemundi in 1912.
Mr. N. Macmichale, ICS agent to the Court of Wards handed over the charge
of the estate to him in Ganjam on April 26, 1913. A year later, he was married to the
princess of Kharsuan (now in Jharkhand).
Maharaja
Krushna Chandra has made immense contribution, towards the literary movement and
other institutions, which were engaged in creating a sense of awareness among
not only the people of Orissa but also the Oriya-speaking people in other
provinces. For this he had
established one printing press named Gajapati Press and published the
writings to create awareness among the Oriya-speaking people. He was one of the few men of vision, who
thought of the unification of the Oriya-speaking tracts into one province,
before the people of Orissa could think in terms of broader perspective of
Indian nationalism. An agitation, popularly known as Odiya Raksha,
which lasted for 45 years till 1948, was lead by Maharaja Krushna Chandra
Gajapati under the common banner of Utkal Sammilani. He took the leadership for formation of
the Swatantra Utkal Pradesh and shouldered the responsibility in
conducting the 10th Utkal Sameelani at Paralakhemundi in the year
1912. He attended the
1st Round Table Conference on January 16, 1931 at England and
presented the memorandum for a separate Oriya province. For this he had again
attended the 2nd Round Table Conference on September 07, 1931 and
argued for the separate Oriya province. The people of Orissa will ever remain
grateful to Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati’s stellar role in the formation of
Orissa state.
During
World War I, he was made honorary second lieutenant of His Majesty’s Indian Land
Forces and later promoted to the rank of Captain. His sincere and efficient discharge of
duties as a military officer was very much appreciated by His Majesty’s
government. The distinction of
Raja Saheb was conferred on him and subsequently, in 1936; he was
given the title of Maharaja. Incidentally, he also has the
distinction of being the first Prime Minister of the state of Orissa
during April 01 to July 18, 1937 and again from November 24, 1941 to June 30,
1944.
Irrigation
system in the state received a philip when the Maharaja took
personal interest in agriculture and constructed many reservoirs such as Ram
Sagar, Seeta Sagar, Laxman Sagar and Krushna Sagar. His approach to agriculture was
methodical and scientific, which even drew the attention of the then Madras
government and the central government.
The central government had gone a step further and appointed him as a
member of the Royal Agricultural Commission in 1927. He established the Central Rice
Research Institute of Bidyadharpur, Cuttack, which is arguably one of
the best institutes of its kind in the world.
The Maharaja has made
exemplary contributions to the field of education and activities for the welfare
of the people. He had made
provisions for free boarding and lodging facilities and also for scholarships
for meritorious students who were poor.
For the education of women he had constructed one Girl’s High School at
Paralakhemundi, tried and succeeded in giving first class status to the
Maharaja’s College of Paralakhemundi, which is named in his name as Sri Krushna
Chandra Gajapati College. He was
also behind the formation of Utkal University in Bhubaneswar and
the SCB medical College at Cuttack.
He
accomplished the seemingly impossible work of bringing railways to
a remote area like Paralakhemundi at a staggering cost of Rs.18.00 lakhs from
his own exchequer. The 52 km narrow
gauge railway line was extended from Paralakhemundi to Gunupur.
The Maharaja, who choose
to distinguish himself through his deeds rather than living in the glorious
past, breathed his last on May25, 1974.
The pages of Indian history will always have a fond remembrance of this
truly majestic king of Paralakhemundi, Maharaja Krushna Chandra
Gajapati.
OTHER EMINENT PERSONS
PADMASHREE
DR. SATYANARAYANA RAJGURU :
Some
men are born great, while some achieve greatness during their lifetime. Dr. Satyanarayana Rajguru was a man of
multidimensional character. He was
a poet, a writer, a dramatist, a stage director, an actor, a freedom fighter, a
linguist, an orator, an historian and a research scholar.
He
started his education at the age of five.
From his childhood he was a man of independent mind. Though a meritorious student, he could
not be qualified in the matriculation examination, intentionally. However, he passed the Oriental
Title Examination in ‘Oriya & Sanskrit’ from the Andhra University. In the year 1929 he worked as the
manager of the ‘Parala Padmanabha Rangalaya’ and entered in to the field of
theater during 1935. He took active
part in the ‘Utkal Sameemani’ &
‘Odiya Rakshya’ and helped Sri Krushna Chandra Gajapati in the formation of
‘Utkal Pradesh’. He will be
remembered for his thesis presented
before the State Re-organisation Commission. He was the President of Ganjam District
Education Council from 1942-1945.
In the year 1946, he joined as an assistant in the Kalinga Historical
Research Society at Bhawanipatana. He worked as a Curator in the Orissa Museum
from 1950-1961 and an Epigraphist from 1963-1970. He also worked as a member in the
working committee of the ‘Orissa Sahitya Academy’. He was also the Chairman of the
Paralakhemundi Municipality for 16 years.
The
Andhra Mahasabha conferred him with the ‘Bharati Bhushan’ award. He was also
awarded by the Ganjam Sahitya Sammilani (1968), Orissa Sahitya Academy (1968),
“PADMASHREE” by the President of India Shri V.V.Giri (1974), D.Litt. by
the Berhampur University and a life member in the University Senate (1975),
Utkal Pathak Sansad (1977), Orissa Congress (1980), “SARALA SANMAN”
(1989) for his outstanding and meritorious research work.
Some of his works are:
-
‘PALINKI
BAHAKA’: A poem translated IN Oriya from ‘The Palanquin Bearers’ of Sarojini
Naidu
‘SWAPANE CHUMBAN’, ‘JANANI UTKAL’, ‘RADHAVISEK’, ‘ODIALIPIRA KRAMABIKASH’, ‘HISTORY OF GANGAS’, ‘THE KORASANDA COPPER PLATE GRANT OF VISAKHAVARMMA’, ‘HISTORY OF EASTERN GANGAS OF KALINGA’, ‘HEIROGRAPHIC LETTERS OF NARAJ’, ‘THE ODRAS AND THEIR PREDOMENANCY’, ‘THE HISTORICAL RESEARCH IN ORISSA’, ‘THE KONDULI COPPER PLATE GRANT OF NARASIMHA DEVA OF SAKA 1305’, ‘SUMANDAL PLATES OF DHARMARAJ’.
KABIRAJ
DR. ANNANTA TRIPATHY SHARMA:
A
contemporary of Dr. Satyanarayana Rajguru, Dr. Annanta Tripathy Sharma was born
in the year 1905 in the village Gunthapada under Jagannathpur Sasan of Ganjam
district. But came down to
Paralakhemundi and stayed for a long time.
He had mastery in Oriya, Sanskrit, Hindi, Bengali, Telugu, English and
Ayurvedic.
After
completion of school studies, he took admission in the Maharaja Sanskrit
College, Vijayanagar and studied there for four years. He was awarded ‘SAHITYA SIROMANI’ by the
Madras University in the year 1923. In the year 1924, he joined in the Sanskrit
College, Paralakhemundi as a lecturer. He established one Ayurvedic Dispensary
at Paralakhemundi named ‘VESAJ MANDIR’, in the year 1929. He got ‘MIMANSA VIDYA
PRABINA’ from the Andhra University. In the year 1946 he was elected to the
State Assembly from Paralakhemundi constituency and to the Lok-Sabha from
Berhampur Parliamentary Constituency in the year 1961. He was the President of
the ‘All India Ayurvedic Society’.
He was also a member in the Senate, Academy of Council & Board of
Studies of Andhra University.
MANCHASRI
SATYANARAYANA PANDA:
A
born dramatist by nature came to lime light by teaching classical song/dance to
the actress Bhanumati Devi, who later entered into the cine field and acted in
Annapurna Theater.He was a great dramatist, actor, director, singer, composer
and a critics. He was awarded with ‘MANCHASHREE’, ‘MANCHANIDHI’ & ‘NATYA
SIROMANI’. The ‘ORISSA SANGEET
NATYA ACADAMY’ awarded him in the year 1987-88, for his contribution to the
drama field. He had also acquired
distinction in the field of Ayurvedic Sastra.
Some
of his works are: -
1. ‘Bijaya
Kumar’ (Nrutya Natika) staged in the Padmanabha Rangalaya, Paralakhemundi and
also in the Sri Ramachandra Bhaban, Cuttack in the
year1934.
2. ‘Mahalaxmi
Puja’ was picturised in the year 1954.
3. ‘Meghaduta’ of Kalidas translated into Oriya (Nrutya
Natika) and staged in the ‘All India Congress Conference-1963.
NABIN CHANDRA
PATTNAIK:
A
trade union leader of Khargapur Railways Union, Nabin Chandra Pattnayak left
service and started one news agency named ‘UTKAL NEWS AGENCY’ in the year 1962
at Paralakhemundi and entered into the field of journalism. During 1964, he published
One magazine (critical analysis) named ‘BARUD’. The Maharaja
of Paralakhemundi Sri Krushna Chandra Gajapati Narayan Deo selected the name of
the magazine.
Narayana Mangaraj:
A minister in the Court of Khemundi Dynasty. He
had composed ‘Haribhakti Sudhakar’.
Ananda
Mishra:
1st part of 18th Century: A great scholar and a great tantrika
also.
Purushottama Mohapatro:
(1853-1905): A reputed Ayurvedic doctor
of
his time. He was the primary teacher of Padmanabha Narayan Deo.
(Bratakathabali)
Shyamsundar
Rajguru:
(1863-1909): Passed matriculation in 1st division and the
1st Graduate of Ganjam. A teacher by profession was the private tutor of
Maharaja Sri Krushna Chandra Gajapati Narayan Deo. He had established ‘Utkal
Hiteshini Sabha’. He was the
Chairman of Paralakhemundi Municipality for 15 years. Member of Srikakole Taluka Board & Ganjam
District Board.
Pandita Gopinatha
Nanda:
(1869 August, 21 – 1924 January, 12): A great Scholar.
He is known for his unique work ‘Oriya Bhasatatwa’. He had mastery over Oriya, Hindi,
Bengali & Telegu besides Tamil, Kannada, Parsi & English language.
(Janaki Parinaya, Draupadi Bastra Harana)
Kamakshi Prasad
Panda:
(1873-1934): He had mastery over Oriya, Hindi, Bengali
& Telegu language. He had depth
knowledge in Astrology & Ayurveda. He was a noted Daivi Sadhak of Goddess
Kamakshi, Doctor, Singer & also a composer. (Kamakshi
Puran.
Binayaka
Padhi:
(1887-1962): He came from Puruna Patana (boarder village adjacent to
Paralakhemundi) and settled at Paralakhemundi. He had a good command over the language and
wrote books like ‘Ramakurshna Abhidhan’, ‘Ananda Abhidhan’ & ‘Kuni
Sabdamala’.