Bhubaneswar: Statues of great sons and eminent personalities will be erected at various locations across the state. Statues of 20 such individuals will be built. Of these, only 3 will be busts while the rest will be full-body statues. This has been decided by the Department of Odia Language, Literature, and Culture.
A budget of Rs35 crore has been allocated for this initiative.
A memorial will be established at Sumita village in Keonjhar in honor of the great freedom fighter and revolutionary Dharanidhar Naik (Bhuyan). The residence of Pandit Raghunath Murmu, creator of the ‘Ol Chiki’ script, will be developed into a heritage shrine, and his burial site will be preserved as a historical memory site.
Rs 10 crore has been allocated in the 2025–26 budget for this purpose.
A memorial will be constructed in Keonjhar for revolutionary Dharanidhar.
The heritage development of Panchasakha (five great saints), conservation of Pandit Nilakantha Das’s residence.
A Harekrushna Mahtab Gallery will be built in the state museum.
A meeting chaired by departmental minister Suryabanshi Suraj was held regarding this initiative. The statue selection committee proposed a list and plan for the construction and installation of these statues. Considering the budget, the proposed list was approved unanimously. The locations for the installation of these statues have also been tentatively finalized.
Importantly, in the 2024–25 financial year, Rs2 crore was allocated for the same project. For 2025–26, ₹10 crore has been budgeted for statue construction, installation, and maintenance. In addition, a Rs50 crore heritage package has been announced to honor their contributions by establishing heritage buildings at their work sites.
Memorials will also be erected at Satyaramapur, the birthplace of Madhubabu (Madhusudan Das), and Aagarapada, the birthplace of Dr. Harekrushna Mahtab. Along with the Satya Badi Bakulban, proposals for the development of heritage sites related to the Panchasakha—Pandit Gopabandhu, Nilakantha, Godabarisha, Krupasindhu, and Harihar—have been approved. Efforts have begun to preserve Pandit Nilakantha Das’s residence as a memorial.
Furthermore, the state government is considering erecting memorials in various districts in honor of freedom fighters who led local struggles. The project to install statues of great personalities and freedom fighters has already begun.
A gallery dedicated to the life of Dr. Harekrushna Mahtab is also being planned, as he was the founder of the state museum. The government is creating this gallery in his memory as part of the celebration of his 125th birth anniversary, which will be observed across the country from villages to Delhi. This initiative will inspire future generations and provide them an opportunity to learn about and connect with the lives of these great personalities.
Statue Locations (selected list):
1. Bhajan Samrat Bhikari Bala – Utkal University Campus (Bust, 3 feet)
2. Dharma Singh Mandhata Majhi – Aathgaon, Balangir (Full-body, 10 feet)
3. Kutala Kumari Sabat – (Bust, 3 feet)
4. Kabisamrat Upendra Bhanja – Berhampur (Full-body, 20 feet)
5. Gokulananda Mahanti – Rajghat, Bhadrak (Bust, 3 feet)
6. Kavi Sekhar Chittamani Mahanti – Bhubaneswar (Full-body, 10 feet)
7. Rachana Nayak – Keonjhar (Full-body, 10 feet)
8. Atal Bihari Vajpayee – Sambalpur (Full-body, 10 feet)
9. Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose – Cuttack (Full-body, 10 feet)
10. Veer Surendra Sai – Sambalpur (Full-body, 10 feet)
11. Gangadhar Meher – Bargarh (Full-body, 10 feet)
12. Madhusudan Das – (Details not mentioned in this excerpt)
This cultural initiative has been welcomed widely as a step toward preserving Odia identity and heritage and honoring its revered sons and freedom fighters.
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