Madhusudan Das

Madhusudan Das Biography

Madhusudan Das was the first graduate, post-graduate, politician, social worker and advocate of Odisha who lived during the period, 28 April 1848 – 4 February 1934. He played an important role in the formation of Province of Orissa. His niece Ramadevi Choudhury along with her husband Deputy Collector Gopabandhu Choudhury, was an Indian freedom fighter and a social reformer, who was associated with Bhoodan and Gramdan movement of Acharya Vinoba Bhave in post-independent India. Madhusudan Das is also fondly known as Kulabruddha, which literally means Grand Old Man, Madhu Babu, and Utkala Gouraba, which means Pride of Utkal. He was also the first person from Odisha to become a member of both the legislative council and the Central Legislative Assembly of India.

Madhusudan Das belonged to a rich family of Zamindars in Odhisha. He was born in 1848 in Satyabhamapur, Cuttack district, Bengal Presidency during British rule. His birth name is Gobinda Ballav Choudhury. Born into a Hindu family, he converted to Christianity, for which he witnessed many protests from his family and village. So he boycotted the village and erected a small house at village boundary. He named it as ‘Madhukothi’ or ‘Balipokharikothi’, which later became the state office of Kasturba National Memorial Trust. He also adopted two Bengali girls, Sailabala Das and Sudhansubala Hazra. Sailabala Das later became a well-known social worker and politician, and also the first woman from Odisha to go to England for higher studies.

After matriculation studies, Madhusudan Das took teaching as profession, as he was inclined towards this profession. After three years, when famine stuck Odisha, he got converted to Christianity, and also changed his name to Madhusudan Das. It was after this incident he relocated to his village border. After clearing entrance exams, he went to Calcutta University where he completed graduation. In 1870, he became the first Odia to complete his B.A. Later he completed MA and LLB studies too. Thus he is recognized as the first scholar from Orissa. He was a lawyer, journalist, legislator, politician and social reformer, and founder of Utkal Sammilani.

Published: January 05, 2020

Updated: January 05, 2020