Harekrushna Mahtab(1899 – Forever)
He,a writer, historian, and socialist of repute, was born at Agarpada in Baleswar District of Orissa. He was deeply imbued with patriotic fervor from his school days and was longing to fight for the cause of the country. Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, he left college to participate in the freedom struggle. He took part in the ‘Pada Yatra’ of Orissa in 1921 and was the organizer of the satyagraha in Baleswar District. He became the president and sampadak of Pradesh Congress Committee in 1929 and was later nominated by Subhash Chandra Bose as the member of National Congress Working Committee in 1939. For taking part in the Quit India Movement he was put under arrest from 1942-1945.
After the second Vidhan Sabha elections in 1946, Harekrushna Mahatab assumed office as the chief minister of Orissa and continued in the office till 1950. Harekrushna Mahatab had played an important role in the integration of states. Acclaimed as a writer and poet, his book ‘Gan Majlis’ is considered as a new step in the history of Oriya literature.
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A Collection By Chetan.